It Could Happen to You
by zelda49
Summary: Angsty Humorous Romance [DannyOC, FlackAiden, MacStella] You never think it'll happen to you. Then life throws you a curveball and everything changes.
1. Interrogation

Maddie Parrish walked into the precinct and sighed. She'd only been in New York four months but had already been here too many times.

She approached the desk sergeant. "I'm here for Dantrell Baker," she told him. "He was brought in about an hour ago."

The desk sergeant made a quick inquiry and led her back to an interrogation room. The door was closed, but through the two-way mirror she could see seventeen-year-old Dantrell sitting at a table across from a blond detective who was questioning him intently. Dantrell looked scared and agitated, and the detective looked ready to pounce.

Standing in front of the mirror observing the interrogation was a familiar face. "Detective Taylor?"

He turned. "Miss Parrish." He tilted his head in Dantrell's direction. "He one of yours?"

Maddie nodded. "Is he under arrest?"

"No."

"Can I talk to him?"

It was Taylor's turn to nod. He tapped on the glass, signaling his subordinate to step outside.

The blond detective looked distinctly annoyed, but rose from the table and exited the interrogation room. "I almost had him, Mac," he said in a thick New York accent. "He's scared…"

"He has a visitor," Taylor replied.

The younger detective turned toward Maddie and sized her up. "You his mother?" he asked.

"No."

"His guardian?"

"No."

"His lawyer?" He was getting impatient with her.

"No."

He shook his head. "Then you have no rights to this suspect."

"Look, Officer…"

"It's Detective," he interrupted. "Detective Danny Messer."

Maddie tried to keep the irritation out of her voice. "Look _Detective_," she began again, "Since his mother abandoned him, his father's in prison, and the grandmother he lives with is senile, he called me. I'm the only adult he's got and you are _not_ questioning him anymore until I talk to him."

Taylor interjected. "Five minutes," he told her.

"Mac…" Messer began, his blue eyes flashing at the challenge to his authority.

Taylor held up his hand, cutting the younger man off. "Let her talk to him, Danny."

"Thanks," Maddie replied. Her eyes flickered in Messer's direction before she headed into the interrogation room. Once inside, she sat down beside Dantrell. "You okay?"

"Miss Parrish! They said I killed someone…"

Outside, Messer looked angrily at Taylor. "What are you doin' Mac? She's not his lawyer, not a relative…and the kid was about to crack!"

"Trust me on this," Taylor told him.

Messer raised an eyebrow skeptically but didn't say anything in deference to his superior, and the two men turned back to the two-way mirror. A moment later Maddie rose from the table and tapped on the glass.

"You're up," Taylor said.

"You know her. Don't you wanna…?"

Taylor shook his head. "It's your case."

Messer entered the small interrogation room, his gaze shifting from Dantrell to Maddie. "So how was your little conference?"

Maddie looked expectantly at Dantrell. He glanced over at her and took a deep breath. "I was there," he told Messer in a shaky voice.

"I know _that_," the frustrated detective replied. "I told _you_ that."

"I know how it went down, and I'll tell you everything, but I didn't do anything wrong."

"No prosecution," Maddie added.

"You'll have to talk to the DA on that one," Messer told her.

"Then let's get the DA in here," she returned.

He sat back in his chair, trying to look indifferent. "They're awfully busy over there…could take a couple of hours at least. We could just do this now…"

She crossed her arms and gazed steadily at him. "We'll wait."

He pressed his lips together and met her gaze for a moment, then placed his hands on the table and pushed up as he stood. "Fine."

Messer left the room, shooting a hard look at Mac on his way to the phone. He dutifully put in a call to the District Attorney's office, then joined his boss behind the two-way mirror once again.

"So who is this woman?" Messer asked.

"She's his teacher," Taylor told him.

"A teacher! Are you kiddin' me? You stopped an interrogation for the kid's _teacher_?"

Taylor nodded. "A few of her students have been through here before," he continued. "She's the only adult they can trust, so they call her."

That struck a chord with the young detective and he fell silent. He watched her talk to Dantrell and noticed how the kid visibly relaxed—he looked as though some of the weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The detective portion of Messer's brain was still angry that his interrogation had been interrupted, but the street kid that was still a part of him was thankful someone was looking out for Dantrell.

An Assistant DA finally arrived and a deal was hammered out. Dantrell spilled his story, detailing who was at the scene, who concocted the plan, and who pulled the trigger, speaking in a voice that tried to be strong but failed miserably.

"And you'll testify to all that in court?" the ADA asked.

Dantrell looked at Maddie for a moment. When he looked back at the ADA he swallowed hard and nodded. "I'll testify."

Satisfied, the ADA packed his briefcase and left the room, anxious to follow up on the information he'd just collected. Messer watched him go and sighed. He'd been both right and wrong in this case, but the bad guys were going down and he was glad for that. He pushed his chair back and stood, looking at his watch and knowing he needed to get back to the lab. As he left, though, he noticed a worried look on Maddie's face and saw her nudge Dantrell. The young man replied by shaking his head. Wondering what he was missing, Messer flipped on the intercom as soon as he was outside the interrogation room.

"…should've told him," he heard Maddie say.

"No!" Dantrell insisted quietly. "No cops, Miss Parrish."

"They're going to know you were here," she pushed. "They're going to come after you. The police can protect you."

The kid shook his head. "If the cops show up at my house, these guys are going to think my grandma and sister know somethin'," he told her. "They can come after me, but I _won't_ let them hurt my family."

Messer turned toward the two-way mirror and took a good look at Dantrell. He was obviously frightened and relying on flawed logic, but was resolute in his decision. He was convinced that he was doing what was best for his family. Messer frowned and made his own decision. This kid meant something to somebody and was going to be protected. Messer would make sure of it.


	2. I hate the Yankees

It was a beautiful sunny day, and Danny should have been happy. He was spending time at his favorite place in the world—a baseball stadium—with four of his favorite people. But he felt restless and unable to concentrate on the game. Maybe it was because the Yankees were losing to the Detroit Tigers, or maybe it was the case he was currently working on whatever it was, he couldn't keep still. He sat on the end of the group between Don and an empty seat, tapping the armrest with one hand and bouncing his feet, struggling to stay focused. He looked over at his co-workers paired off in their own conversation, enjoying the company and the warm weather, seemingly oblivious to his predicament. Aiden and Don were teasing each other, each trying vainly to pretend not to be interested in the other, and Mac and Stella were watching the game together, exchanging sly smiles and pretending not to notice.

Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore. When everyone stood for the seventh inning stretch, he jumped out of his seat. "I'm gonna go get somethin' to eat," he told his friends. "Anybody want anything?" All four shook their heads, and he turned and headed down the stadium stairs.

He wasn't really hungry, so he wandered around the concourse a little, stopping from time to time to catch the action down on the field. During one such pause he was leaning on the railing watching a Yankee batter struggling at the plate against the Detroit pitcher, when a woman beside him shook her head.

"I hate the Yankees," she said with an accent he couldn't quite place.

"Better be careful how loud you say that," he warned, turning to look at her. She was about 5'4", with blue eyes and a mass of brown hair pinned up on the back of her head. She looked very familiar to him but he couldn't quite place her.

She smiled at his admonition and turned to look at him as well. "Detective Messer?" she asked, surprised to see him.

Recognition hit him. "Miss Parrish."

Maddie was surprised a second time. "You remember me?"

Danny nodded. The case had been closed a month ago, but he remembered. "I don't get too many teachers coming in for their students," he explained.

She smiled a small smile. "Yeah, well, Dantrell called so I went."

He returned her smile, the street kid in him silently thanking her one more time. Out loud he asked, "How's he doin'?"

Her smile widened. "Great! He's a B student, 'cept in my class…he's getting an A in chemistry," she told him proudly. "He graduates in June—first in his family to finish high school."

"He made it through the trial okay?"

Maddie nodded. "Someone detailed a squad car to follow him around before and during it. They made it look like he was under surveillance instead of police protection so those gang bangers left him alone—didn't want to get caught doing anything illegal." She was watching the expression on his face carefully and continued, "He took his grandmother and sister to a shelter during the trial, and their church helped them find a safer place to live." She paused a moment and studied him. "It was you, wasn't it?"

"Me?"

"You sent the squad car."

Danny shook his head. "No, I…"

"Your eyes give you away, Detective," Maddie smiled. "I know it was you."

He looked down at his hands resting on the railing. "Maybe I made a phone call…it was nothin'."

"It wasn't nothin'," she told him. "You saved his life."

He shook his head again but didn't reply, and the two stood quietly together for a moment, looking out over the baseball field.

Then Maddie broke the silence. "Dantrell's giving a big speech at graduation," she told him. "You should come."

"Yeah?"

She looked up at him and smiled. "Yeah. Eastside High, June 7th at 7:00. I'll save you a seat."

He grinned. "Okay. I'll be there," he promised.

Out on the field the bullpen door slammed and a Tigers relief pitcher ran out onto the field. Maddie's face lit up. "Here comes the closer," she smiled. "It's all over now…"

He laughed. "So you're from Detroit." It was a statement rather than a question.

"Accent give me away?" she asked.

He nodded. "That and the only people that actually root for the Tigers are people who've been breathin' too much car exhaust," he teased.

She grinned. "Have you seen the scoreboard? It's the ninth inning and my Tigers are up by five runs over your Yankees."

Danny smiled sheepishly. "Can you keep a secret?"

Puzzled, she replied, "Sure."

He leaned closer to her and whispered, "I'm a Mets fan."

Maddie laughed. "Brave man admitting that here."

He grinned again and they watched together as the Tiger pitcher disposed of three Yankee batters in a row.

"Game over," Maddie said happily.

Danny sighed. "I guess I should go find my friends," he said. "They're probably wonderin' what happened to me."

She nodded. "Yeah, go find 'em. But don't forget, June 7th, 7:00," she reminded him.

"I won't," he assured her. He fished out his wallet and pulled a business card from it. "Here, take this before you go," he said scribbling something on it and handing it to her. "That's my home number on the back, too…if your students ever need _anything_…"

She took it and smiled softly. "Thanks. It's good to know they have someone in their corner."

He looked down at her. "Yeah," he replied. "It is."


	3. Friends

Danny, dressed in a white lab coat, peered into a microscope, his glasses pushed up onto his forehead. He adjusted the focus and maneuvered the slide to a better position as he tried to figure out what he was looking at.

Then his cell phone rang.

"Who the hell is that?" he muttered pulling it from his pocket. The caller ID displayed a number from Eastside High School. Had something happened to Dantrell? A thousand horrible scenarios raced through his head. He quickly answered. "Miss Parrish? Is everything okay?"

Realizing she had alarmed him, she instantly felt bad. "Everything's fine, Detective," she assured him. "I just called to ask you a question. Do you have a minute?"

He glanced down at the microscope and debated. He really needed to get that substance identified, but he had told her if her students needed _anything_…

His pause was longer than he intended it to be and Maddie began to feel like she was disturbing him. "Listen, if this is a bad time, I can call you back…"

Danny shook his head even though she couldn't see him. "No no no, I gotta minute. Fire away."

She smiled on the other end of the line. "I have a favor to ask," she said. "My chemistry students have sort of hit a wall…we've gotten into a bio-chem section, and they're, well, they're kinda bored with it. I was thinking I might get someone to come talk to them about something exciting that's related to it to get them interested…you know, show them a real world application for this stuff. I noticed on the card you gave me that you're a Crime Scene Investigator…" she paused. "How do you feel about public speaking?"

Danny was a little surprised. "You want me to talk to your classes?"

"Well, crime is something these kids can relate to, unfortunately, and I'd like to show them something positive that's associated with it. Solving crimes and catching the bad guy is the only positive thing _I_ can think of…"

"That makes sense," he agreed, "but are you sure you want _me_? I'm the one who tried to put Dantrell in prison, remember."

"You're also the one who put a protective detail on him," she reminded him. "And I think the kids will respond well to you. They'll listen."

He mulled that over for a moment. "When would you need me to come in?"

"Sometime in the next two weeks," she replied. Then, feeling like she was asking a lot of him she added, "Look, Detective, if you can't do it, it's okay…"

The case he was working on was an especially tough one, and he really couldn't afford any time away from it, but he found it impossible to say no. He knew Eastside High was a rough school with little money, and the kids that went there needed every break and helping hand they could get. "I can do it," he told her.

"That's great!" she grinned. "Our class periods are 54 minutes, and you can have as much or as little of that as you want."

He wondered how on earth he was going to keep a bunch of high school students entertained for an hour. "Okay."

"I don't want to keep you any longer, so why don't you think over what you want to do with 'em and what day you can come in, and give me a call in the next couple of days?"

"Sounds like a good plan," he said. "I've got the number here on my caller ID...is it okay if I call you at school?"

"Sure, but let me give you my home number, too. Got something to write with?"

He scrounged around for some paper and a pen, and wrote down the number she gave him. "Okay, I got it. I'll call you soon."

"Thanks Detective."

"Anytime," he smiled.

Later that night he arrived home, turning the evidence from his case over in his mind. He pushed up his glasses and rubbed his eyes, knowing he needed sleep badly and knowing it wouldn't come unless he found a way to clear his head. He dropped his keys on the kitchen table and pulled his wallet and cell phone out of his pocket, noticing the slip of paper stuck to the wallet.

"I wonder if she's still up," he thought aloud as he glanced at the clock. Nine-thirty wasn't too late on a school night, was it? And it would help him focus on something other than that double homicide. He picked up the phone and dialed the number Maddie had given him. A moment later he heard her sleepy voice.

"Hello?"

"Miss Parrish?"

Maddie shook the cobwebs from her brain. "Detective Messer?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry, did I wake you up?"

She looked at the clock. "Yeah, but you did me a favor. I fell asleep on the couch in the middle of working on my lesson plans. So what's up?"

"I was thinkin' 'bout that talk you asked me to give to your classes…is next Friday okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, next Friday's fine," she told him penciling it in on a square in her lesson plan book. "Any idea what you want to say or do?"

Danny frowned. "Actually, I was hoping you could help me with that part. I don't know what to say—the only teenagers I talk to are suspects and witnesses."

Maddie laughed. "Well, if you want to drop by after school sometime this week I can show you what they kids are learning. Maybe you can relate their material to things you do on the job."

"That might work. I'm in the middle of a big case right now, so I don't know when I'll be able to come over…can we just play it by ear?"

"Not a problem," she assured him. "Just give me a call when you have some time to come by."

"Okay, I'll do that."

There was silence between them for a moment before Maddie spoke again.

"I owe you big time for this. I know you're busy, and I know how hard it can be to get away from work. I really appreciate you doing this, Detective."

"I'm glad to do it," he smiled. "I do have one favor to ask, though."

"Name it."

"If we're going to be spending time together working on this, you gotta stop calling me Detective." She laughed a little and he continued, "Call me Danny."

"I think I can manage that, as long as you don't call me Miss Parrish anymore."

It was his turn to laugh. "Okay, then what's your first name?"

"It's Madeline," she told him, "but my friends call me Maddie."

"So we're friends now?" he teased.

"Oh yeah, you're stuck with me now," she grinned. "I think Dantrell made sure of that."

Danny's smile softened. "I'm glad he did."

"Me too," Maddie told him. "Well, I should get back to these lesson plans."

"Okay, I'll see you this week then."

"Thanks Danny," she said, "for everything."

He smiled into the phone. "What're friends for?"


	4. Danny Goes to High School

Danny pulled into the parking lot at Eastside High School on the appointed day about a half an hour before classes began. He found a space and parked, making sure to lock his gun inside the glove compartment before he got out. He wasn't really supposed to even have it on school grounds, but coming to this place without one just seemed like asking for trouble.

He grabbed a box of supplies and his kit from the car and headed up to the school. Maddie had introduced him to the security guards the first time he'd been there, so he said hello made small talk with them while they inspected his gear and sent him through the metal detectors. Once inside, he gathered his equipment together and walked down the graffiti-covered hallway to Maddie's classroom.

"Knock knock," he called as he entered the room.

Maddie came out of the little office in the back. "Hey Danny," she greeted him. "More stuff? I thought you brought over everything yesterday."

Danny shrugged as he placed the box on an empty lab table. "Found a few more things I thought you could use."

She smiled. He had seen the empty supply closet on his previous visit, and was now determined to fill it. Out loud, all she said was, "Thanks." She had already learned not to make a fuss over his big gestures—he hated that. Little things he'd brag about for days, but the important things he didn't want any recognition for. She opened the box and began taking out the supplies, making a mental note to find some small way to show her appreciation later on.

The two chatted a little and finished setting up the lab they had planned for the students. When that was done, Maddie wrote a few chemical equations up on the chalkboard for them to balance as their "warm-up" exercise at the beginning of class. Danny found a stretch of counter that wasn't being used and opened up his kit to fish out a few things he needed for his talk. When the bell rang a moment later he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Nervous?" Maddie laughed.

"Me? No, I'm not…" He caught the look she gave him and stopped. "Okay, yeah. I'm a little nervous."

She grinned. "You'll be fine. This class is pretty good," she promised him. "Just speak slowly, answer their questions as best you can, and remember to breathe," she told him patting him on the shoulder.

He nodded and took a deep breath.

"Ready?"

He exhaled and nodded again. "Let's do this."

Maddie led him out into the hallway to stand watch over students as they visited lockers and headed to classes. When hers entered the room they all went through the same motions. First, they looked at Danny some smiled, some were half asleep, and some regarded him with suspicion, but they all noticed him. Then Maddie would greet each by name and their gazes would shift to her, responding to her with a "good morning Miss Parrish" as they ambled inside.

"Looks like you're the star of the show already," Maddie grinned.

He smiled back uneasily. "Oh good."

The bell rang again and Maddie shooed the stragglers into the classroom, pulling out her attendance book and instructing them to get started on the warm-up. Danny made his way to the back of the room and watched her run the class, noticing how most of the students did what she asked of them and participated in the discussion that followed. _Good_, he thought, _maybe this will be okay._

When the warm-up exercises were complete, Maddie made a few quick announcements about tests and events that were happening the following week then introduced Danny.

He walked up to the front of the room and cleared his throat.

"Good morning," he started. "I'm, uh, Detective Messer from the Crime Lab, and I'm here this morning to tell you a little bit about my job." He looked out at the sea of eyes locked on him and suddenly knew what it was to have stage fright. He cleared his throat again and continued, "I, uh, do some of the things that regular cops do…I can arrest people, question suspects and witnesses, all of that. But the bulk of my work is collecting and processing evidence from crime scenes. I know that Miss Parrish has already told you some things about being a CSI, so why don't we start with any questions you guys might have for me?"

No one budged for a moment. Then a hand popped up in the back row.

Danny looked relieved. "Yes?"

"Do you carry a gun?"

He nodded. "Yes I do."

Another hand appeared on the other side of the room. "You ever shoot anybody?"

Danny looked uncomfortably at Maddie, who had stationed herself in the same back corner that he had vacated. She smiled encouragingly at him and mouthed "you're doing fine." He smiled weakly back and wished their places were reversed.

"No, I've never shot anyone."

Disappointed looks were exchanged around the room and the students got quiet again. Danny started to panic a little.

"Any more questions for Detective Messer?" Maddie asked from the back of the room. When no one else volunteered, she continued, "Why don't we start the lab then?"

The panic faded and Danny nodded. "Okay, here's how this is gonna work. Miss Parrish and I have set up a simulated crime scene in the back of the room there for you all to practice collecting evidence with. Once you think you've found everything, go to your lab stations and run some tests to see what you've got. The first group to correctly figure out who committed the crime gets to come to the Crime Lab for a tour."

Maddie stood ready with lab sheets, boxes of latex gloves, and multiple sets of tools for the students to use in their evidence gathering. She passed all these out as Danny explained what each tool was for and which tests produced what information. By the time he was done talking, the class was becoming more active and they went to their stations with some enthusiasm.

Danny stood in the middle of the room watching the groups start the lab. Maddie walked over to him, still smiling.

"How do you do this every day?" he asked her. "I wasn't even up there that long and I'm sweatin' bullets."

She laughed. "This is a weapons-free zone, Detective," she replied playfully. "You'll have to take your bullets off campus."

He smiled and rolled his eyes at her with a mock groan. "That was pretty bad."

"Been hangin' around you too much," she teased.

"Detective Messer…" a student called. "What does it mean again when the swab turns pink?"

Maddie's smiled broadened. "You're up, slugger."

He dutifully went over to the group that had asked the question and Maddie made the rounds of the room, stopping to answer other questions as she walked. After a few minutes she looked up to check on Danny and found him leaning over one of the lab tables with another small group of students. In one hand he held a test tube, in the other an eyedropper, and on his face was what Maddie referred to as the "teaching look". He was showing them something he had learned from experience, something that would help them in their quest to find their simulated criminal, and he was beginning to enjoy himself.

By the end of class, Danny had almost forgotten about his stage fright and was mingling with the students as if he'd been with them every day. He had grown up in much the same way these kids had, making it easy for him to relate to them. The students, too, found Danny easy to talk to, more so than any other police officer they'd encountered, and enjoyed hearing his stories. When the bell rang, the students quickly cleaned up their stations and said their good-byes, many of them thanking Danny for coming in. A pair of girls even smiled and giggled at him as they left the class.

"What was that all about?" he asked Maddie as she got ready for her next class.

She giggled a little herself. "They think you're hot," she explained, her blue eyes twinkling. Danny looked at his shoes and actually blushed a little. She giggled harder, but couldn't resist telling him the rest. "They told me your glasses were really sexy," she managed to get out before dissolving into laughter.

She watched the color creep across his cheeks for a moment more before sighing and going back to her preparations. "This next class is going to be pretty dull," she told him. "Basic Science. They're a handful, so I can't do much with 'em. I know you haven't seen much of the school, so if you want to hang out with the security guards for a while they'd be happy to show you around."

Danny frowned. She had said "handful" but her face read "rough". "Mind if I stay here?"

"Sure. I wouldn't mind having some extra muscle in here," she winked.

Her comment was meant to be a joke, which he understood moments later when two huge young men walked through the door. They were followed by several not-as-big students, who made up in attitude what they lacked in size. The bell rang, and Maddie began the class, managing to keep them under control for the most part. Danny resumed his position in the back of the room, ready to lend a hand if needed. At one point, two students did jump out of their seats and get in each other's faces. The combatants were about to begin trading punches when Danny sprang up from the chair he was sitting in and felt his hand slide underneath his suit jacket, looking for his gun. Maddie handled it with little drama, but Danny could feel his heart beating just a little bit faster.

A third class came through the following period—another demanding Basic Science class—and Maddie looked drained by the end of it. "So whaddaya think so far?" she asked dropping down into a student's chair.

"I think when you retire from teaching you could do something less stressful….like be a paramedic or an air traffic controller…"

She grinned tiredly. "Or a cop?"

He smiled and took a seat at the desk next to her. "Or a cop. You'd actually make a good cop…don't take crap from nobody."

She laughed a little and rubbed her eyes, resting her face in her hands when she stopped rubbing. "At least the day's half over," she said.

Danny looked over at her and started to reach out to comfort her. He hesitated a moment, though, wondering if he knew her well enough to do that. Her arms folded down onto the desk and she put her forehead on them, and something in his brain decided that he did know her well enough. He touched her shoulder gently, sliding his hand down her upper arm as she sat up.

"Having you here has been a big help, too," she told him. "The kids really do respond well to you, even in the Basic Science classes."

"Anything I can do to lend a hand," he told her. Their eyes met momentarily and they shared a smile. Then, rising form the desk he continued, "So what's on tap for this afternoon?"

Maddie stood as well, stretching as she spoke. "This is my lunch period right now," she told him, "and it runs right into planning period. My other chem class comes in after that, so you'll be on again," she grinned. "Then I have this fantastic little physics class at the end of the day. We're studying collisions, so we'll be dropping eggs off the roof today."

Danny laughed. "This I gotta see."

"You can teach them all about velocity and spatter patterns," she said cheerfully. "They'll be calling you Professor Messer before long."

He ignored the obvious rhyming, figuring she'd bring it up again later and tease him anyway. "How 'bout some lunch first?"

She grinned again. "Come on, we'll eat in the teacher's lounge," she told him taking his arm. "I want to introduce you to the rest of the department."

"You're gonna owe me so big…"


	5. I Never

Maddie walked into the lab with a box in her arms, peeking around the side of it as she went.

"Let me help you with that," Danny called after her.

"Always the gentleman," she smiled, allowing him to take the box from her and carry it over to a counter.

He smiled back a little and quickly changed the subject. "What's all this?"

"Just some stuff you left at school the other day," she told him. "You brought over more chemicals than we can use in a year."

"Oh, okay."

She could tell she'd bruised his ego a bit. "There just isn't enough room in the storage closet for all of it," she continued. "But the kids all told me to tell you thanks and that you have to come back for the science fair in a few weeks."

His smile returned. "They had a good time, didn't they?"

"'Specially those two girls in the morning chem. class," Maddie laughed.

"What two girls?" a female voice asked.

"Oh, hey Aid. C'mere, I want you to meet someone. This is Maddie Parrish," he said, unconsciously bringing out his accent a little more as he spoke Maddie's name. "Maddie, this is Aiden Burn."

The two women smiled at each other.

"Nice to meet you, Maddie," Aiden said. "We've heard a lot about you around here."

"It's nice to meet you, too, Aiden," Maddie returned. "Danny talks a lot about you all, too. I feel like I already know you."

Aiden smiled again. "You know, we're on our way out to dinner in a few minutes. You should come with us," she offered. "It'll be fun."

Danny interjected. "What?"

"Yeah," Aiden continued. "Mac and Stella and Flack and Danny and I are all gonna go grab something to eat. Dr. Hawkes is even coming with us. You should come too," she repeated.

Maddie glanced at Danny out of the corner of her eye to see what he thought and caught the pleased expression on his face. "Sure," she told Aiden. "I'd love to. Then you guys can fill me in on all the embarrassing stuff I don't know about Danny yet."

Aiden patted Danny on the cheek. "We're gonna have a good time tonight," she laughed. "We're meeting at Charlie's in a half an hour."

"We'll be there," he promised. She left to wrap up some business before dinner, and Maddie helped Danny unpack the box of chemicals before they headed out as well.

When they arrived, the others were already seated. Danny pulled out Maddie's chair for her and began the introductions as she sat down.

"Everyone, this is Maddie Parrish," he informed them. Then, going around the table, "Mac you already know…"

"Good to see you Miss Parrish."

"It's Maddie tonight, Detective Taylor" she replied.

"Then it's Mac for me," he smiled.

Danny continued. "Don Flack, Homicide."

Don reached across the table to shake her hand. Maddie reciprocated as they traded greetings.

"Homicide, eh?" she asked. "I have a friend who works Homicide in The Bronx."

"Yeah?"

"Tom Reid…you probably don't know him…"

Don smiled. "Actually I do."

Maddie smiled back. "Small world."

Danny resumed the introductions. "Aiden you met earlier." Both women grinned mischievously at each other and he winced, hurrying on. "Stella Bonasera…"

"_Che bella cognomen_," Maddie tried, hoping her Italian wasn't as rusty as she thought and that she had in fact complimented Stella's name.

"_Grazie_," Stella smiled broadly. "_E voi_…"

"You're in trouble now, Danny," Mac kidded. "They can talk about you and you won't even know it."

"Dr. Hawkes studied Latin," Danny reminded him. "And that's pretty close."

"I gotcha covered," Sheldon laughed. "If they switch to Greek, though, your outta luck."

Stella looked over at Maddie, but Maddie shook her head. "You got me there."

"And of course, this is Dr. Sheldon Hawkes, our medical examiner."

"A pleasure to meet you," Sheldon told her.

Something about the tone of his voice made her smile girlishly. "And you," she replied.

Danny glanced at her curiously while the group, now acquainted, ordered food and chatted as they waited for it. Since the five police officers and medical examiner all knew each other, most of the questions were directed at Maddie. She fielded them all while trying vainly to defend her French fries from Danny's thieving fingers.

Finally she got tired of defending. "If you want my fries so bad, you're going to have to win them from me," she challenged.

His blue eyes flashed in much the same way they had when she'd interrupted Dantrell's interrogation. This time, though, he was grinning. "What's the game?"

Aiden piped up. "What about 'I Never'?"

Don groaned. "That's kinda cheesy, Aid…"

"We can all play," Stella chimed in. "It'll be fun. And we'll get to find out all kinds of things about each other…"

The men exchanged looks around the table. Mac took the bait. "What's 'I Never'?"

"It's a game you play," Aiden explained. "Everyone takes turns saying something they've never done, and if you've done it you ante up. The last person to still have their stash wins."

Danny decided to go for it. "It isn't pool, but I'm in."

"Okay, yeah, me too," Don declared.

Mac and Sheldon followed suit, and the French fries were divvied up among the seven of them.

"Guests first," Danny winked at Maddie.

She smirked. "I never worked for the NYPD."

The five detectives groaned and tossed French fries onto a plate in the middle of the table.

Mac was next. "I never was a teacher."

Maddie laughed and added another fry to the plate. "Yeah, I deserved that."

Then it was Don's turn. "I never lived in the Midwest."

Mac and Maddie both chucked fries to the center, sharing a smile.

Aiden giggled. "I never was hit on by a pair of high school girls."

Danny shot her a "why you little…" look, but quickly began laughing when Mac, Don, and Stella all chipped in. "Stell? You were hit on by a pair of high school girls?" he asked instead.

She shook her head. "It's a long story, and we're changin' the subject. Hmmm…" she thought. "I never dated a co-worker."

"Not yet," Don pretend-coughed.

Maddie and Sheldon anted up, ignoring the inquisitive looks the others were giving them.

"Okay, my turn," Sheldon said. "I…never…went ice skating."

"Oh Sheldon, that's terrible," Maddie told him good-naturedly, tossing her fry on the plate. "I'll take you sometime if you want to go."

Sheldon smiled shyly. "We'll definitely have to do that."

Danny looked at Sheldon and frowned without realizing it. "Guess I'm up," he said. "Uh…I never…went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art."

"Yeah you did, Danny," Aiden interrupted. "You were just there last month!"

He scowled at her and looked embarrassed.

"You know, I haven't been there yet," Maddie told him touching his arm. "Think maybe you could go with me sometime? Show me around?"

He smiled a little. "I could do that," he replied.

"Okay Danny, try again," Mac told him. "This time let's have something you really didn't do."

"Uh…I…never…had a pet hamster…"

They went around and around the table, each trying to think of something they had never done that their companions had. Things got a little silly, especially when Don declared that he had never run away to join the circus and Stella tried to convince them that NYPD _was_ a circus. Eventually, everyone ended up out of fries except for Maddie and Danny.

"Here we go," she laughed as Sheldon tossed his last fry on the plate.

"Just you and me," Danny told her.

She looked at his plate—only two French fries left. She still had four. "I never…have been called 'Professor Messer'."

He laughed at the memory of her Physics class dropping eggs off the roof of the school and anted up. "Okay, I never…rooted for the Detroit Tigers."

"Don't tell me you were cheering for the Yankees that day, Mr. I'm-a-Mets-Fan!"

Danny smirked at her. "Prove it."

She sighed and deposited a fry on the plate. She only had to get one more from him. "I never…" She couldn't think of anything and looked around the table for help. When she got to Aiden, the CSI grinned impishly and jumped out of her seat, walking around the table to whisper something to her. Maddie turned to Aiden, smiling broadly. "No way…"

Aiden laughed. "Oh yeah."

Danny was petrified. What had Aiden told Maddie about him? He looked from one woman to the other and wondered if a plate of French fries was worth it. "Alright," he said, "don't say it out loud. I surrender!" He tossed his last fry onto the plate in the middle with a look of mock defeat.

Maddie laughed delightedly. "It worked!"

"What worked?" Mac asked.

Aiden answered. "I didn't really tell Maddie anything about Danny. We knew that there was something he'd be embarrassed enough about that he'd give…and he did."

"They got you good," Don told Danny.

"Thanks man," he replied sarcastically.

Maddie was still grinning when she decided it was time to leave. "I really need to get going," she told the group. "It's a school night."

She said her good-byes to the detectives and gave Sheldon her phone number so they could go ice skating, then allowed Danny to walk her out to her car.

"You and Dr. Hawkes really goin' skatin'?" he asked as casually as he could.

"Yeah, we are." She looked over at him. "Jealous?"

"No," he said quickly. "I just…do you even know where to go ice skatin' around here?"

"I'll find a place. Maybe Sheldon knows one. Maybe we'll just wander around 'til we find one. I haven't seen much of the city yet…"

They reached her car and he leaned against it. "Well I was kinda hopin' I'd be the one who got to show you around.

She smiled. He was a little bit jealous, wanting her to get along with his friends but not quite ready to share her with them yet. "You can still show me around," she told him, leaning against the car beside him. "We're going to the Art Museum, right? I'll go skating with Sheldon, but I can save the rest of New York for you."

"Yeah?"

"It's the least I can do after taking all your French fries," she grinned.

"Do you play pool?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Not in a while."

"Good. I know this place where we can get a table for as long as we want it…"

Maddie elbowed him playfully. "Is that before or after I kick your ass at chess?"

"Before I demolish you at the batting cage, after I clean up at poker…" Danny teased.

She laughed again. "We'll see about that."

"Friday night I'm off at six…"

"You're on," she grinned.

"I'll call you tomorrow," he promised, "and we'll figure out the rest."

"Okay." She brushed a hand over his shoulder as she stepped away from the car. "I'll see you later."

He stood in the parking lot and watched her drive away, looking forward to Friday and wondering which game he had the best chance of winning.


	6. Movie Night at Maddie's

"So what are we doin' tonight?" Danny asked.

Maddie sat at her desk in her classroom sorting through stacks of lab reports, holding her cell phone against her shoulder. "Is that your way of asking me if I'm free tonight?" she replied.

He chuckled on the other end of the line. "Yeah, I guess it is."

Maddie sighed. Danny spent a large portion of his time on the job, so when he had some time off it was a big deal. The problem was that her job was also demanding, and often she was too tired to do much. He had been very understanding and asked her to do things on weekends instead of during the week, or would go with her to school functions instead of out on the town.

She wanted to spend time with him but wasn't sure if she was up to going out. "I know it's Friday…"

"You're tired, aren't you?" he finished for her.

She sighed again. "I am. I just don't have the energy to go out tonight," she frowned.

Her choice of words gave him an idea. "What if we don't go out?" he asked. "We can order take-out and get a movie."

"We get to stay in _and_ I don't have to cook?" she joked.

"Hey, I cook sometimes…"

Maddie laughed. "Microwave burritos don't count."

"Oh," was all Danny said for a moment. Then, "But about tonight…"

She laughed again and looked down at her stacks of papers. "Take-out and a movie sounds great," she told him. "You want to grab dinner on your way out and I'll get the movie?"

"No chick flicks," he insisted.

She grinned. "I make one comment about _Titanic_ and my judgment is suspect forever."

"Promise me?" he pressed.

"Only if you promise to get dinner from that little Italian place we found last weekend."

That was an easy one—the food there had been great. "Deal. My place or yours?"

"Mine," she replied. "Six o'clock?"

"Sounds good," he told her. "I got paperwork to finish up, so I'll see you later."

"Okay, me too. Bye."

A couple of hours later, Danny appeared at Maddie's door holding two large paper bags.

"Did you bring half of Italy?" she asked him as he walked into the apartment.

He smiled. ""It all smelled so good."

She pulled some plates and silverware out of the kitchen while they tried to figure out which movie to start with. The discussion was animated, as usual, but something about his demeanor didn't seem quite right. They carried their full plates into the living room and sat side by side on the couch.

"You okay?" she asked studiously not looking at him.

He glanced over at her. "Yeah, why?"

She shook her head. "You just seem like you've got something on your mind, that's all."

He frowned, wanting to talk to her about it but not wanting to interrupt their time together with work issues.

She put her plate down and turned toward him. "Danny, you know you can talk to me, right?"

He nodded. "I know." He was silent for a few minutes before he decided just to spill it. "I need to ask you somethin'."

"Okay," she replied. "What do you want to know?"

"Have you ever been shot at, at school?"

She gave him a confused look. "What's this all about?"

"It's a case I'm working," he explained. "A school shooting…" His eyes met hers and he pressed his lips together. "I was taking blood samples off lockers, picking up shell casings from classroom floors…I just kept thinking of you at Eastside, and how rough it is…"

His voice trailed off and she didn't answer right away. When she did, it wasn't what he wanted to hear.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

She nodded. "Yes, I've been shot at.

"Here? At Eastiside?" he asked, his blue eyes wide.

"No, at the school I used to work in. Kid brought a gun to school," she began quietly, staring at the TV. "We were short staffed on security and he snuck it into the building. He pulled it out in the cafeteria at lunch and waved it around. They cleared the building…cops were called…someone tried to wrestle the gun from the kid before they got there, and it went off before I got out." She looked over at him. "The bullet missed me by a couple of feet. They got the gun from the kid and no one was hurt…"

He was visibly upset, but struggled to keep control. "But you were shot at in the cafeteria at school," he repeated.

Maddie nodded slowly. "Yes."

"Has it ever happened at Eastside?"

She knew her words were less than comforting. "Not this year."

He rose from the couch and started pacing the living room floor. "Not this year? Maddie, you're not supposed to get shot at _ever_!"

She remained seated, watching him pace and letting him rant. From the looks of things, he had needed to do so for a while.

"Why don't you work someplace safer?" has asked. "Someplace where you don't have to worry about kids bringing weapons to school!"

"That's a problem everywhere, Danny," she told him. "In wealthier neighborhoods, in the suburbs, even out in rural areas…it's everywhere."

"But the odds are lower in other places," he continued. "Why do you have to work in such a dangerous place?"

No longer able to sit still, Maddie rose from the couch. "I could ask you the same question."

He stopped pacing and turned toward her. "Danger comes with my job," he told her. "I'm a cop, remember? A shooting is a bad day at the office, but I'm trained to deal with it."

"Believe it or not, so am I," she responded. "I've been through the in-services, the training days, the camps…I even spent a few days at the police academy. I am as prepared for the violence in my job as you are for it in yours."

He turned toward the window behind him and gazed out. "Yeah, but Maddie," he said softly, "you shouldn't have to be."

She took a few steps and stood beside him, leaning against the window sill. "You're right," she said gently. "_No_ teacher should have to worry about being attacked at school. And I could work in a place where there were fewer problems. But those kids at Eastside…someone has to give a damn about them…"

He looked down at her and sighed. "I know." They stood together looking out over New York City for a few minutes before he spoke again. "It's one of the things I admire about you, ya know…they way you fight for your students. You care so much about them, even when they actively defy you. You never give up on 'em."

She smiled up at him. "You don't either, otherwise you'd never have brought all those supplies from the lab. You see something in 'em that's worth fighting for, too."

He smiled shyly. "I guess maybe I'm a little bit of an optimist after all. Do me a favor, though?"

"What's that?"

He slid his arm around her shoulders and lowered his lips to her ear. "Be careful," he said softly.

She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I will if you will."

He squeezed her shoulders warmly. "Deal."

They stayed at the window a moment longer before Maddie's stomach growled.

Danny laughed. "I guess we should get back to dinner."

"And we never did figure out which movie to watch…"

They settled back on the couch, sitting close together and arguing happily as they ate.

"It has to be _Blackhawk Down_…"

"Oh no…no war movies tonight…but I got _The Shining_…"


	7. Science Fair

Stella was out near the front reception area when Maddie arrived at the lab. "Hey Maddie," she smiled. "How are you?"

Maddie returned the smile. "I'm pretty good. You?"

"Not bad," Stella replied. "You here to see Danny?"

"Yeah, is he around?"

"Sure, I'll take you back."

Maddie clipped the "visitor" tag onto her blouse and picked up the paper bags she'd been carrying, following Stella into the restricted area of the lab. They found Danny perched on a stool peering into a microscope, his glasses pushed up on his forehead, hair sticking up a little in the back. His cheeks were pink with excitement from whatever discovery he had just made, and he was concentrating so intently he didn't hear the two women come in.

Stella grinned. "Kinda cute like that, isn't he?"

Maddie laughed and a startled Danny looked up. He recognized the laugh instantly and knew who it was before he could see her.

"Hey heartbreaker," he grinned, pulling his glasses back down onto the bridge of his nose.

"Heartbreaker?" Stella asked.

It was Danny's turn to laugh. "You shoulda seen her the other night, Stell…"

"We went to play pool," Maddie cut in.

Danny walked around the table toward the women, his eyes twinkling. "A bunch of guys were hittin' on her…"

"It was only one guy…"

Danny laughed. "It started out with one guy. He tried to pick her up and she told him she'd play him for a date."

Stella smiled at Maddie. "So do you have plans on Friday?"

Maddie grinned and opened her mouth to say something, but Danny interrupted. "She wiped up the floor with him," he said proudly. "Sent him home cryin'…"

Stella laughed. "Was he that bad or are you that good?"

"Well, I beat Danny…"

"You did?"

Danny's smile faded. "She did."

"Three times," Maddie added for good measure.

"Remind me never to play you in pool," Stella laughed. Then her cell phone rang. "That's me…I'll catch you guys later…"

"So what's in the bags?" Danny asked as she left, hoping not to discuss playing pool any longer.

Maddie smiled. "Dinner." She told him. "When you said you were working late tonight, I knew you'd be eating from the vending machines, and I still owe you for talking to my classes…"

His smile returned. "What'dya get?"

"Not get," she replied, "make. I cooked."

His eyes lit up. "Great! I'm starvin'." He led her into the break room and helped her unpack the food she'd brought. "Wow, you really went crazy here…"

"The first of many times," she promised. "You won't be fixing your own dinners for a while."

"No more microwave burritos…"

She laughed and sat down at the table with him. They talked while they ate, and the conversation quickly turned to Eastside High.

"How're those science fair projects coming along?" Danny asked between mouthfuls.

Maddie smiled, thinking how sweet it was that he kept tabs on her students. "The kids have been keepin' 'em under wraps," she explained, "so I don't really know what they have planned. I do know that they've been asking me every day to make sure you come."

"Really?"

"Dantrell's been especially insistent," she continued. "He's doing something about forensics, but he won't tell me what it is, just that you need to see it."

Danny smiled almost shyly. "It's Thursday night, right?"

Maddie nodded. "Yep. Seven o'clock."

"I'll be there."

"Excellent! The kids'll be thrilled…"

And they were. Thursday night Eastside High's best and brightest assembled in the gym to display their projects. Danny arrived right on schedule with half the lab in tow, so eager was he to show off the students he knew so well.

Maddie met them at the door and ushered them into the gym. "Wow, you brought the whole pack," she laughed. Then Don walked in behind Aiden. "Don? I didn't know you were a science guy."

He shook his head. "I'm not. I'm just here to even out the numbers."

Aiden chuckled. "Just stick with me, Flack. I'll explain everything."

"That's what I'm afraid of," he mumbled.

"Okay, everything is all set up, and each student is standing with his or her project, so feel free to ask questions of them," Maddie told them group. "There are a lot of demonstrations, too, so wander around, look, play, and have a good time."

Mac and Stella headed off in one direction and Aiden and Don in another, leaving Danny with Maddie.

"Wow, you'd almost think they planned this," Maddie laughed.

Danny glanced over at his coworkers. "I know Aiden did. She's been trying to figure out how to spend some time alone with Flack for a while now."

"And Mac and Stella?"

Danny shook his head. "I don't know about those two. I think, maybe, but…"

"He isn't ready yet," Maddie finished softly for him. There was silence between them for a moment, then she took his arm. "Shall we?"

"Yeah," he smiled allowing her to lead him around the gym.

They meandered slowly up and down the rows, checking out each project and stopping to speak to each student. Danny was smiling, that look of excitement creeping across his features more and more with every project. Then they reached Dantrell's station.

"Hey man," Danny shook the teenager's hand.

"Detective Messer," Dantrell grinned shaking back. "You came!"

"I wasn't gonna miss this," Danny replied.

Maddie squeezed his arm appreciatively before letting go. "Okay, so spill it. I've been dying to see this project of yours, Dantrell…"

"Well, I got the idea from the Detective here," he began, "that day we processed the simulated crime scene. Detective Messer showed us a couple of different ways to perform the same test, and I started wondering which way worked best. So I did some reading and some research on my own, and put together a comparison of five forensic techniques used by the NYPD, Miami-Dade PD, Las Vegas PD, the FBI, and, for you Miss Parrish, Detroit PD…"

Maddie was impressed with her student and smiled proudly as he continued his little presentation. Danny was practically beaming, asking questions and commenting on the details of Dantrell's display. He praised the boy several times, making sure he knew what a fantastic job he had done and how accurate everything was.

Danny shook the young man's hand once more and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You did a beautiful job here, Dantrell."

He was elated. "Thanks, Detective Messer."

Maddie promised to return before the judging was completed and took Danny's arm again as they walked through the gym. "You really made his day, you know."

Danny ginned proudly. "Our kid did good," he told her. "I just wanted to make sure he knew that."

"'Our kid'?" she smiled.

"Yeah, well, you're always calling your students your kids. I guess I just feel invested in his future now, that's all," he replied.

She squeezed his arm again, her smile growing. "I was hoping that would happen."

"Now we gotta get Mac and Stella…they have to see this…" He signaled the two senior CSIs and they walked over, wondering what was going on. "Take a look at this one," Danny directed, leading them back to Dantrell's display. "This is one of Maddie's chemistry students…"

Don and Aiden had heard Danny's voice and wandered over to see what was going on. Aiden joined Mac and Stella at Dantrell's table, but Don hung back a little with Maddie.

"How ya doin', Don?" Maddie asked, noting the drained look on his face.

"I'm hanging in there," he responded. "Aiden's doin' her best, but science is just not my thing."

Maddie smiled slyly. "But you get to spend the evening with Aiden…"

Don blushed ever so slightly. "Yeah, I do. And you get to spend the evening with Danny…"

She chuckled. "He's not here for me, he's here for the kids," she said, watching Danny play proud papa while Dantrell went through his project for the other detectives.

"Okay, yeah, but would he be here with the kids if you weren't here? I know I wouldn't be here if Aiden hadn't asked me…"

Maddie brushed him off. "I know what you're thinking Don, and you're wrong. Danny and I just aren't interested in each other that way."

"Well I predict that the four of us will be going on a double date in the near future," Don informed her.

"That would require you to ask Aiden out first," Maddie teased. Aiden heard her name and looked over curiously. Don blushed again and looked at his shoes, and Maddie giggled. "And that's going well…"

"Very impressive," they heard Mac say. "Come and see me when you graduate from college, Dantrell. I might have a place for you in my lab."

The student's face glowed with pride and Danny's smile widened. Everyone shook hands again as they moved to the next display, but Dantrell tugged on Maddie's sleeve to get her attention. She turned toward him, but he spoke first.

"Thank you Miss Parrish," he said softly.

"Hey, you did all the work," she returned smiling gently.

When she caught up to the group, Danny was still lauding Dantrell's brilliance. "You know, I taught him about the KM test, didn't I Maddie?"

She took his arm once more and laughed. "Yes, you did…"


	8. Attack

"So I'll see you for movie night on Saturday?" Danny asked. He sat on a stool in the lab, ignoring the magnifier in front of him while he talked on his cell phone.

Maddie smiled on the other end. "Yeah, and I _am_ going to make you watch _Miracle_."

He rolled his eyes, even though she couldn't see him. "We'll see about that," he told her. "I just got the whole _Friday the Thirteenth_ series on DVD."

She laughed. "Don't get me started," she warned. "I have all twelve parts of _From the Earth to the Moon_…"

Danny heard a bell ring on Maddie's end of the line. "You better go get something to eat before your next class," he said. "And no eating at your desk…take a break."

"Yes mother," she grinned. "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye."

He pocketed the phone and went back to the magnifier, a small smile still on his lips. He was thinking that he might let her have her way with the movie selection that weekend—he liked hockey and _Miracle_ did look pretty good—when Mac walked into the room a few minutes later. The older detective, however, stopped short of the table Danny was working at. Stella came in behind Mac, and the two stood together speaking in low voices.

Danny continued his work, thinking nothing of it until Aiden came in and was signaled to join Mac and Stella. Aiden mostly listened, but kept glancing over at Danny with a worried expression.

"I kinda get the feeling I'm being watched," Danny said in the direction of the little group.

Stella and Aiden both looked at Mac, who nodded and took a few steps toward Danny. "Danny, a call just came in…"

He looked up from the table. "Okay, where'm I goin'?"

"You're not," Mac replied. "At least not officially."

Danny rose from his seat and raised an eyebrow at his boss. "Mac, what are you talkin' about?"

Mac pressed his lips together and chose his words carefully. "There's been an incident at Eastside High School…"

Danny's blood ran cold. "What happened?"

"A student pulled a knife on a teacher," Mac told him slowly. "He's taken hostages and he's holding them in a classroom."

"Maddie…it's Maddie, isn't it?" He made a mad dash toward the door only to be caught by Aiden and Stella. He fought them, trying to get free. "Let me go! I need to go to her!"

Aiden tried to calm him down. "Danny, Danny, Danny…we'll go together, okay? You're not driving like this…"

The expression on his face was one of confusion mixed with a desperate need to get to Eastside High. The look in his eyes, though, was one Aiden had never seen there before. Danny was terrified.

Stella found her keys and helped Aiden get Danny into the car and over to Eastside. There were squad cars everywhere, a hostage negotiator in place, and armed officers in body armor ready to go in at a moment's notice. Danny stumbled out of the vehicle and started toward the door, unholstering his gun as he moved.

"Where is she?" he called to no one in particular.

Don, who had been first on the scene, stopped him. "Woah, Danny, you can't go in there," he told his friend, grabbing him by the shoulders. "You're not trained for this."

"Flack, that's Maddie in there," Danny said through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, I know," Don told him. "And we're going to get her out."

"How can you be so calm?" Danny fumed at him. "How would you feel if that was Aiden in there with a knife to her throat?"

Don knew that he'd be doing exactly what Danny was doing if Aiden was in danger, but he tried to keep his cool. "Listen to me Danny. We're going to get her out," he repeated, "and when we do, she's going to need you to be here waiting for her, in one piece."

Danny tried to calm down, knowing Don was right. He covered his face with his hands and shook his head. "I just talked to her, Don," he said. "We made plans for Saturday…I told her not to eat lunch at her desk today, to take a break from work…"

Don placed a hand on Danny's shoulder. "We're going to get her out," he said firmly.

Danny nodded slowly, pushing up his glasses and rubbing his eyes. Stella came and put an arm around him, leading him over to a part of the parking lot where they would be out of the way. Aiden stood with Don and Mac, wishing there was something she could do.

Then Mac's cell phone rang. It was central dispatch with a new call. Mac got the information and looked at his team, wondering who to send. Danny was leaning against a squad car with Stella's arm still around him, and Mac knew before he even looked over that he was in no shape to go anywhere. Stella was calm, at least outwardly, soothing Danny and trying to keep him composed. Aiden stood still, her face pale but resolute, prepared for whatever was to come.

Mac made his decision. Aiden was Danny's closest friend at the lab, and if something were to happen to Maddie it would be Aiden that he would need most. "Aiden," he said quietly. "Why don't you go sit with Danny for a while. I need to talk to Stella."

Aiden nodded and walked over to the squad car, her arm replacing Stella's as the older CSI joined her partner.

"What's up Mac?"

He filled her in on the call. "I'm taking it myself, but I'm going to need some help. I thought I'd leave Aiden here with Danny…"

Stella nodded. "Good idea. He needs her support." She forced a small smile. "So I guess that makes me the help."

Mac nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay, let's go."

They spoke to Don one more time before departing, leaving him clear instructions to call either of them the second Maddie's situation changed.

It didn't. For hours the assailant sat in a dark classroom, holding Maddie at knifepoint. There had been a small group of students in the room when he took it, and they had been let go. But Maddie was his blue chip hostage, and she wasn't going anywhere. Outside in the parking lot, Danny alternately paced back and forth or sat on the curb in the back corner. Sometimes Aiden would sit with him and sometimes he would send her away, needing some time alone with his thoughts.

Finally the hostage negotiator gave the signal. The assailant was getting tired, sloppy, and the team of armored officers was going in. Danny rose from his place on the curb and joined Aiden and Don in the front of the parking lot. On his way across the lot, he did something he hadn't done in a very long time—he prayed.

The team of officers went in and Danny crossed himself, gripping Aiden's arm tightly. They stood, each holding their breath without realizing it, waiting for something to happen. There was nothing but silence for a few minutes, then came the echo of gunfire.

There were shouts from inside the school, but each one was delivered by a male voice. Danny strained to hear, hoping for the sound of Maddie's voice, but it didn't come. Chaos reigned as police ran in and out of the building, frantically waiving paramedics in behind them. Don rushed in along with the paramedics, and Danny squeezed his eyes shut and hung his head. Someone had been seriously hurt, but still no one knew what had happened.

Finally, a pair of armored officers appeared in the doorway on either side of a young woman with masses of brown hair pinned up on the back of her head. Danny still had his eyes closed, but heard Aiden's breath catch in her throat and opened them.

She was holding a towel to her neck that was turning red with blood, but she was alive and walking out of the building under her own power. Before anyone could stop him, he ran up to the building, calling Maddie's name.

When she looked up and saw Danny coming toward her she left her escorts and met him halfway, throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against him, feeling her shaking violently as adrenaline coursed through her system. He wished desperately that he could have protected her from this, but was so thankful that she had made it out.

He didn't ever want to let her go, but when he felt something warm soak through his shirt he pulled back a little, remembering the towel on her neck.

"Maddie, you're bleeding…" he said in a voice that tried to be calm.

She looked down at his shoulder and touched the sticky spot on his jacket. "Oh, Danny, I'm so sorry…"

"There's nothing to be sorry for," he told her softly. "Let's just get you over to the paramedics." He held the towel gently against her neck and led her to where an ambulance was waiting.

Officers rushed out with the suspect on a stretcher and loaded him into a second ambulance. Flack emerged from the school, flipping his notebook closed as he spoke to another detective. Aiden opened her cell phone to call Stella and Mac, and to ask permission to begin processing the scene.

Danny, however, saw none of it. He was focused on Maddie, his arm draped around her as an EMT traded her blood-soaked towel for a clean one and tried to stem the bleeding.

"She's going to need stitches, Detective," the medic told Danny. "We'll have to take her to the hospital."

"Okay, I'll meet you there," he replied, knowing they wouldn't let him ride along.

Maddie, in shock and still shaking intensely, smiled a little as the EMT helped her into the ambulance. "I'll be alright," she promised.

Later, Maddie sat alone in an exam room in the ER with fresh sutures stitched neatly in a row along her throat. The cut hadn't been hadn't been deep—the knife had only injured her as the assailant fell away from her after being shot—but could have easily been fatal if it had.

This was the thought running through Danny's mind as he knocked on the door. "Hey there," he tried to smile.

"Hey slugger," she replied, trying to smile back.

He sat down beside her on the gurney. "Doctor says you're going to be fine."

She nodded. "I am. What about the kid with the knife?"

He shook his head. "He's in critical condition. He was shot in the shoulder and the bullet tore an artery. He lost a lot of blood, and they're not sure if he'll make it."

Maddie bowed her head. "I got him suspended," she said quietly. "The vice principal told him that if he got written up one more time, he was out for ten days, and I caught him cutting class…"

He slid his arm around her and pulled her to him. "This is not your fault," he told her. "He's the one that pulled a knife on you. Whatever happens to him he brought on himself."

She laid her head down against his shoulder and sighed. "I was scared, Danny. Even after he let the other kids go I was afraid I wasn't going to make it out of there." She took a deep breath and continued, "I thought I'd never see my students again, my family, you…Danny, there's something I want to tell you…"

She sat up, her blue eyes searching his. What she saw there made her hesitate. He was relieved beyond belief that she was okay, and cared about her _so_ much, but what she was looking for wasn't there. "I…I wanted you to know…that you're my best friend. I never want any of my kids to get into trouble, but I'm so thankful that Dantrell did, because that's where I met you."

She rested her head back on his shoulder and he tightened his arm around her.

"That was a lucky day for me, too," he told her, grinning. "I finally found someone who likes the same movies I do."

She laughed and patted his knee. "So what do you say we head back to my place and watch a little _Forrest Gump_?"

He helped her down off the gurney and chuckled. "I love that Lieutenant Dan…"


	9. Celebration

Maddie was erasing her chalkboards after school when her cell phone rang on the other side of the room. She hurried over to it and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"Maddie, it's Aiden," a familiar voice said. "Gotta sec?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"Mac's birthday is today, and we're taking him out to celebrate after shift. Nothin' fancy, just some beers and pool at Charlie's…can you come?"

Maddie smiled. "I'd love to. What time?"

"We're shootin' for seven," Aiden replied, "if we can get the birthday boy out of the office that early."

"Good luck with that," Maddie chuckled.

"Yeah, no kiddin'. So, say maybe seven thirty."

"I'll be there."

Maddie finished cleaning off the chalkboards and got some paperwork out of the way, made a quick stop at home to change out of her school clothes, then headed to the CSIs' favorite bar, Charlie's.

Aiden had reserved a pool table for the little group ahead of time, and Danny and Don were already playing when Maddie arrived.

"Hey, it's Maddie Ali," Danny grinned. He had been attaching various boxers' names to hers since the attack, telling her it was because she was such a fighter. Ali was his current favorite.

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee," Maddie grinned, allowing him to hug her hello. He glanced at her throat as he pulled away, subtly checking out the remains of her wound. She caught him, though, and gave his arm a little squeeze to let him know that she appreciated his concern. Don gave her a quick hug, too, and Sheldon and Aiden appeared with the pitchers to say their hellos as well.

"So where is the man of the hour?" she asked.

"Stella's in charge of prying him from the office," Aiden told her.

"Well, if there's anyone that can get Mac to do something, it's Stella," Don said. "You see the way he looks at her?"

"Like some homicide detective I know," Maddie muttered as she walked past Don to the rack of cue sticks against the wall.

Don waited until she walked past him again before answering. "You're turn's comin' Parrish…" he whispered over his shoulder.

"Bring it on," she grinned, spying a jukebox in the corner and knowing she had a little trick up her sleeve.

At that moment a smiling Stella escorted a less-than-happy Mac into the bar. Exclamations of "happy birthday!" rang out from his six friends and a small smile appeared on his lips.

"I told you I didn't want to make a big deal out of this…"

"It's not a big deal," Aiden promised him.

"Just some beers and pool," Maddie added, echoing the words Aiden had used earlier.

Mac sighed. "Okay, I guess I can handle that," he conceded, permitting Stella to lead him to an empty table.

Glasses of beer were poured, the jukebox was cranked up, and bets were placed at the pool table. Don lost handily to Danny a couple of times before declaring he needed a break.

Maddie grabbed her cue. "Me next."

Danny grimaced. He had beaten her a few times, but more often than not Maddie won when they squared off in pool. "Why don't we play partners this round?" he asked, hoping for some reinforcements. "Doc? Whaddaya say?"

Aiden jumped up before Sheldon could reply. "I'm in…"

Sheldon smiled. "I can't say no to two beautiful women."

Aiden broke and the four concentrated intently on the game, still laughing and talking, but focused on the competition. Stella sat with Mac and Don at a nearby table, watching the game and teasing the birthday boy.

About halfway through the first game, Don excused himself to use the bathroom and Maddie grinned mischievously. Danny caught the twinkle in her eye and raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what was going on. She flickered her eyes in the direction Don had gone and her smile widened. When the unsuspecting detective returned, Danny signaled her from across the pool table.

Aiden leaned over the table lining up her shot, and Maddie nonchalantly walked around the table and stood close beside Danny. She slipped him a quarter and whispered in his ear, "G-eleven". Danny grinned and wandered over to the jukebox as Sheldon studied the pool table looking for his shot. The young doctor found something he liked and Danny found song G-eleven on the jukebox. His chuckled as he plunked the quarter in and pressed the appropriate buttons. When he came back to the pool table, Sheldon was lining up a second shot and Aiden was watching him intently.

Danny resumed his place next to Maddie. "Nice choice," he grinned.

"Yeah," she smirked. "I thought so, too."

Blue Oyster Cult poured from the speakers a moment later, and Aiden perked up her ears. "Hey, it's my song," she smiled, singing along.

_Burn out the day_

_Burn out the night_

_I can't see no reason to put up a fight_

_I'm living for giving the devil his due_

_And I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you_

Danny and Stella cracked up laughing, and Maddie winked at Don. Sheldon took aim again and missed, but smiled as he stood up.

"Don't shoot yet," he told Maddie, fishing a quarter out of his pocket.

Maddie looked at Aiden and both women wondered what he and his dry sense of humor had come up with. _Burnin' for You_ finished and Sheldon arrived back at the pool table as the Beatles began.

_Help, I need somebody,_

_Help, not just anybody,_

_Help, you know I need someone, help._

Maddie looked at the table and laughed—she and Aiden were losing badly to the boys—and Danny grinned, offering some sarcastic advice about hitting the little white ball. Aiden found some change and made her own jukebox selections, choosing Motley Crue's _Dr. Feelgood_ and Bon Jovi's _Bad Medicine_ for Sheldon. Don picked out some Van Halen for Maddie, making everybody laugh when _Hot for Teacher_ blared from the speakers. Stella got in on the act, playing the Blues Brothers' version of _Sweet Home Chicago_ for Mac, coaxing a smile out of the man as he sat quietly at a table.

The music war continued through several games of pool as the participants rotated partners. After a few games, Aiden decided to call it quits and headed over to the dartboard, challenging Don to a contest. Sheldon took the empty pitchers to the bar for a refill, and Stella took on Danny in nine-ball.

Maddie spied Mac still sitting alone at his table and made her way over to him. "This seat taken?" she asked smiling.

Mac smiled back. "Be my guest." He stood and pulled the chair out for her, sitting again when she was situated. "You all done playing pool?"

"Thought I'd take a break for a while, come visit the birthday boy," she replied patting his shoulder. "Wanted to make sure you were having a good time."

He smiled and looked down at his hands, twisting his wedding ring. "I am."

"You miss her, don't you?" she asked quietly.

He sighed and stopped twisting to stare at the ring. "I do." He paused, eyes still fixed on the gold band. "She was the love of my life. I don't think I'll ever stop missing her."

"Claire's a big part of you," she replied gently. "She always will be."

He smiled a sad little smile and nodded.

They sat together without speaking for a bit when Maddie noticed Mac's attention had been drawn to the pool table. "It could happen again, you know," she smiled softly.

"What's that?"

"You could find love again, Mac."

The detective shook his head and glanced back down at his wedding ring. "I don't know. I don't think so."

"There's no hurry," she assured him. "The right woman may not come along for a while." Her gaze shifted to the pool table where Stella was enjoying herself immensely, and Danny looked decidedly unhappy. "Or she might be closer than you think."

Mac allowed his eyes to dwell on Stella's form as she slowly circled the pool table, and he smiled shyly. Maddie didn't push, knowing she had gotten her point across.

Aiden and Don finished their game of darts, Stella and Danny finished their nine ball tournament, and Sheldon returned from the bar, signaling the others to join him as he set a birthday cake on the table in front of Mac. Stella took a seat beside the senior CSI and slipped an arm around his shoulders, Don and Aiden stood grinning on either side of Sheldon, and Danny found a place standing behind Maddie's chair, resting his hands on her shoulders. The little group sang _Happy Birthday_ loudly and way off key, making Mac laugh out loud for the first time that night. He blew out the double-helix-shaped candles in one breath, grinning as he did. Stella planted a kiss on his cheek and Mac blushed faintly. He knew Maddie would notice and glanced over at her.

"Happy birthday, Mac," she smiled happily.

"Thanks," he replied.

Danny offered his birthday wishes as well, leaning over Maddie to shake his boss's hand and pat him on the back. As he did Maddie's smiled changed slightly, becoming a little dreamy. Her eyes never left Mac and no one else saw the variation, but at that moment Mac knew her smile wasn't for him. It was for Danny.

The moment went as quickly as it came, and someone found a knife for Mac to cut the cake with. The games of pool and darts resumed and the party continued, but Mac and Maddie's friendship had found a new level of trust. Though neither had spoken the words, they now knew each other's secrets.


	10. A Favor for Flack

A/N: You will recognize part of the conversation between Mac and Danny in the second section from the episode "Til Death Do Us Part". It was what triggered this whole fic, and it's so cute I couldn't resist using it :)

* * *

Maddie was arranging equipment at a lab station in her classroom when Don walked in.

"Hey Maddie. Whaddaya doin'?" he asked.

"Hey Don…I'm setting up the experiment we're doing in class tomorrow," she replied.

"What's the experiment?"

She grinned mischievously. "Watch this." She placed a small quantity of something silver-colored in a Petri dish and picked up an eye dropper, dipping it into a beaker of clear liquid. "Ready?"

He nodded cautiously.

She let loose a couple of drops of liquid onto the silver substance. Heat erupted from the Petri dish accompanied by a cloud of purple smoke.

Don jumped back a step and Maddie laughed. "I love doing that."

He recovered and shook his head. "You and Danny…both scientific practical jokers. No one's safe around you two."

Maddie grinned again and quickly cleaned up the mess she'd made. "So what brings you by this afternoon? Get a call over this way?"

"Yeah I did, and I thought I'd stop by and see how you were."

Her smile faded a little, but remained on her lips. Don, along with Danny, had been rather protective of her since the attack, and she appreciated their concern. But it had been a long day. "Well, today was kinda rough, but I made it through," she replied. "How 'bout you? Your day going well?"

"Well, that depends on the answer I get to a question," he told her cryptically.

She stopped her work at the lab station and looked at him, wondering what he was talking about. "What question?"

He suddenly found a nearby graduated cylinder very interesting and studied it as he spoke. "I know a guy over at this restaurant in midtown…he got me a reservation for Friday, and I asked Aiden…"

"Finally!" Maddie exclaimed.

Don grinned sheepishly and looked up. "Well, the thing is, I got so nervous asking her that I kinda told her you and Danny were coming too."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "What? Like a double date?"

"I chickened out at the last minute." He frowned. He never had that problem with any other woman, but he was always afraid he'd screw things up with Aiden. "We're going to dinner and then do something afterwards, but you don't have to come. Danny won't want to…"

"Do you want us to come?" she asked.

"Maybe just for dinner? And it wouldn't be a date for you guys, 'cause, I mean, it's you and Danny…"

She smiled. "Okay. I'll talk to him. And if things go well for you and Aiden, we'll make an early exit."

His gin returned. "You don't mind?"

"Not at all. You're picking up the check right?"

* * *

That same afternoon a woman died at the alter on her wedding day. Mac and Danny headed over to the church to process the scene.

"According to the hotel brochure," Danny was saying as Mac examined the body of the bride, "'the flight of the doves is a symbol of the couple's union and eternal love'."

Mac paused in his inspection and looked up at Danny. "It could happen to you, you know," he told his subordinate, remembering Maddie's words to him at his birthday party.

"What, marriage?" Danny asked as he collected evidence.

"Love," Mac stated simply, a teasing look in his eyes.

Danny shook his head and continued his collection with only a cursory look at his boss. "Don't even say stuff like that Mac, it's not funny."

Mac grinned and went back to the body. "What about Maddie?"

"What about her?" Danny asked in reply.

"You two ever thought about dating?"

Danny pressed his lips together. "No," he replied. "We're friends. That's all."

"That's how the best relationships start, you know," Mac persisted gently, thinking of the way Danny looked at Maddie when they were together. It reminded him of the way he had looked at Claire when she was alive.

Danny shook his head again, being careful not to make eye contact with the older detective. "It doesn't matter anyway," he said quietly. "I'm not good enough for her."

Mac stopped what he was doing and looked squarely at Danny. "Who told you that?"

Danny stopped, too, and looked back at Mac. "No one told me that, Mac, it's just the truth."

"What does Maddie think?"

Danny looked away and shrugged.

Mac resumed gathering evidence. "Well, maybe you should ask her."

* * *

Danny knocked on her door at seven o'clock as promised. She looked quickly through the peephole and smiled as she opened the door. He was wearing a black suit, complete with a silky tie, blue shirt, and an expression of excitement mixed with displeasure.

"Wow, you look great!" she told him as he walked into the apartment.

"New suit," he answered a little shortly. He wasn't thrilled with the idea of tagging along on Don and Aiden's date.

"You even wore a tie."

He smiled grudgingly as she picked up the tie and ran her fingers over it. "It matches your dress, too."

She looked down at the blue strappy number she was wearing and laughed. "It does! You must've read my mind."

He smiled a little more. "Or you read mine."

She grinned. "Scary."

She grabbed her purse and a little crocheted sweater, and the pair headed over to the restaurant where Don and Aiden were already waiting. They were seated at their table, dressed to the nines but looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Hey guys," Maddie greeted them cheerfully.

Don and Aiden rose as their friends approached. Hugs and handshakes were exchanged and the four arranged themselves around the table.

"You look beautiful," Don told Maddie. "But I bet it's not the first time you've heard that tonight."

Danny looked chagrined, knowing that he had not, in fact, mentioned to her how nice she looked.

"Thanks Don," she smiled. "And I know you told Aiden that when you picked her up, right?"

Aiden grinned. "He called me gorgeous."

The two women giggled across the table and Don looked rather proud of himself.

"Okay, you've been here long enough to form an opinion now," Aiden continued, trying to keep the conversation going. "How do you like New York?"

"I love it," Maddie smiled. "I miss Detroit a lot, but this place is amazing, and there's so much to do."

"Have you been to all the touristy places yet?" Don asked.

"Danny did a good job showing me around," she replied touching his arm. "It took a month, but I think we hit everything in all five boroughs."

"We missed the Empire State Building, though," Danny reminded her. "It was too windy to go up the day we saw Manhattan, and we never made it back."

"That's right," she remembered. "Well then, I guess I've been to _almost_ all the touristy places."

"You know, the Empire State Building is still open," Aiden commented. "We could go up there now."

Don seemed to like the idea, and even Danny appeared okay with it. And it was better than trying to continue the small talk in the stuffy little restaurant. So Maddie agreed. "Sure, I'd love to."

They gathered their things and left before even ordering drinks.

"Should we take a cab?" Don asked as they stepped out onto the street.

"It's a nice night," Danny said looking up at the sky. "Why don't we walk?"

Don smiled. "You ladies wearin' comfortable shoes?"

Aiden grinned, looking forward to walking in the moonlight with her date. "I'm good."

Maddie wasn't about to spoil the fun now. "I'll live," she winked.

"If your feet get too sore," Danny told her, "I'll piggy-back you the rest of the way."

She laughed and took his arm, following Don and Aiden down the street. "That'll work well in this dress."

He leaned in a little closer. "You know, Flack was right. You really do look beautiful tonight. I should have said something earlier."

"You did," she told him. When he gave her a confused look she elaborated, grinning, "I saw the way you looked at me when I opened the door."

"You did?"

She laughed. "As well as you can read me, Danny Messer, I can read you better."

He smiled crookedly. "You know me so well."

The four walked along in no particular hurry, with Danny and Maddie carefully hanging back a few steps to allow their friends some privacy.

Maddie smiled when Don reached over and took Aiden's hand. "That's so sweet."

"What? That they're holding hands? That's not a big deal," Danny replied.

"Of course it is," Maddie protested. "How many times have you ever held my hand?"

"Well, none," he said raising an eyebrow. "We're not exactly together..."

"Exactly," she told him. "That's why it's a big deal. It's a sign of affection…"

"But you take my arm all the time…like now. Isn't that a sign of affection?"

He was baiting her and she knew it, but she responded anyway. "That's different…"

They debated all the way to the Empire State Building, almost forgetting about Don and Aiden until the four joined up again and rode the elevator to the observation deck together. Don and Aiden wandered off in one direction when they reached the top, while Danny and Maddie subtly went in another.

"Looks like everything's working out for them," Maddie smiled as Don slid his arm around Aiden's waist. "And it's a beautiful night."

Danny sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Too bad you're stuck with me," he replied.

She looked over at him. "Stuck with you?" she grinned. "I asked you to come tonight. I had to practically beg you!"

He looked out over the city, trying not to make eye contact with her. "Yeah, but you should be up here on a real date, not wastin' your time with me."

She took his arm and stopped walking, looking up into his blue eyes. "Danny," she said, brushing a hand over his cheek, "Time spent with you is _never _a waste."

He looked down at her and met her gaze, feeling butterflies forming in his stomach. He reached out and took her hands in his, smiling shyly as he did. She returned his smile, her eyes shining brightly in the moonlight, and squeezed his hands gently.

That's when he knew he loved her.

It hadn't been love at first sight the way so many other people claim to have fallen. He had admired her from the very beginning, appreciated her for her insistence that being a teacher was more than just a job. They had become friends because of it, then close friends as they got to know each other. Now he knew he was in love with her and couldn't imagine his life without her.

He took a step closer, his nervousness outweighed only by the wave of happiness washing over him. He was certain he saw it in her eyes, and found himself searching for the right words.

"Maddie, I..."

He was interrupted by an employee making his last rounds of the night. "Last call, folks," he called. "It's closing time. The elevator's making one last trip down..."

The pair froze momentarily, distracted by the employee. They snapped out of it rather quickly, but it was too late. The mood was broken and Danny lost his nerve, suddenly wondering if he'd fooled himself into believing she shared his new-found feelings. "I guess we should get going," he said instead, releasing her hands.

Maddie nodded. "Yeah, I guess we should."

Was that disappointment in her voice? He shook his head as they turned toward the elevator. She shivered a little in the cool night air and he slid his arm around her as they walked, wondering if he'd just narrowly averted losing his best friend or totally blown his chance at happiness with the woman he loved.


	11. A Bad Day at the Office

The two couples parted ways Danny and Maddie decided to grab some dinner somewhere, while Don and Aiden elected to walk around the city for a bit longer. Maddie took Danny's arm as they strolled down the street and was surprised when he smiled almost shyly at her. She looked curiously up into his blue eyes, knowing he had wanted to say something to her on the observation deck and wondering if he was going to say it now.

He didn't, instead steering the conversation toward food. They were walking past a jewelry store discussing where to eat when Danny stopped and squinted at the front display window.

"I think someone's in there," he said quietly, unholstering his gun.

"Danny, what are you doing?"

"The job never stops," he told her.

"I know _that _feeling," she returned.

"Stay here," he said.

He stepped carefully toward the door of the jewelry store with his weapon drawn, and she pulled her cell phone out of her purse, ready to call 911 if needed.

"Be careful!" she called quietly after him.

Shadowy figures moved inside the store and Danny nudged open the broken front door, raising his gun in their direction.

"NYPD! Stop what you're doing!" he yelled.

Maddie stood outside the jewelry store, trying to see what was going on while keeping out of sight of those inside. She could hear the noises of people running away and saw Danny advancing slowly forward, but without any other lighting her vision was limited. His was as well, and he didn't see the assailant still left in the lobby of the store until it was too late.

The unmistakable sound of a gunshot rang out, and Maddie saw Danny crumple to the floor.

She ran toward him, screaming his name. "Danny!" He was still conscious when she got to him, but was bleeding badly from his shoulder. "Oh my god, Danny!"

"I'm alright," he told her, struggling to get up.

She gently pushed him back down onto the floor. "The hell you are. Stay still, Danny, you've been shot..."

She couldn't see much in the weak moonlight that filtered through the display window, but could feel the blood oozing from his shoulder. She quickly stripped off the little crocheted sweater she was wearing and pressed it against the wound, trying to stem the bleeding while searching for the cell phone she had dropped in her hurry to get to him.

"What happened?" a voice asked roughly from the doorway.

"Don! Call an ambulance...Danny's been shot..."

The young detective did just that and Aiden rushed over to lend a hand.

"What can I do?" she asked Maddie.

"He's going into shock...elevate his feet..."

Aiden pulled her coat off and folded it up, trying to remain calm as she placed it under Danny's feet. "We heard him yell all the way down the block, and came back to see if everything was okay..."

Maddie shook her head, pressing down harder on the wound. "We were trying to figure out where to eat when we walked by this place. The front door was broken and there were people inside..."

"The ambulance is on its way," Don reported, flipping his phone shut. "Mac and Stella will meet us at the hospital."

"Danny, you hear that?" Maddie asked him. "The ambulance is comin'. Hang in there, slugger, you're going to be just fine."

He smiled weakly. "I told ya I was okay..."

Don, Aiden, and Maddie tried to return his smile, but all three failed miserably. His eyelids fluttered a little, then closed.

"Danny? Danny!" Maddie called. "Don, check his pulse."

He slid his fingers along Danny's neck and found the appropriate spot. "It's weak, but it's there."

Maddie and Aiden exchanged relieved looks, but both women knew it wasn't over yet.

"You two know CPR?" Maddie asked quietly.

Don and Aiden both nodded.

"Good. If the paramedics don't get here soon..."

"Here they are!" Aiden exclaimed, jumping up from her place at Danny's feet and waving as flashing lights stopped in front of the building. "In here!"

The EMTs hurried in and took over, loading Danny quickly into the ambulance and rushing him to the hospital. Uniformed police officers arrived right behind them and began taping off the store and securing the scene. Don arranged for a squad car to take Maddie and Aiden to the hospital, but stayed behind an extra few minutes to make sure every procedure was followed to the letter.

The two women sat together in the back of the police cruiser gripping each other's hands all the way to the hospital.

"He's gonna be okay," Aiden said, trying to sound convincing. "He's a tough guy."

"He has to," Maddie replied, trying to smile. "Who else am I going to drag along the next time you and Don want to double date?"

Aiden laughed, tears forming in her eyes, and Maddie held her hand a little tighter. The squad car ran lights and sirens all the way to the hospital, and within minutes the two were hurrying through the emergency room.

Mac and Stella were waiting for them at the reception desk.

"Mac," Maddie cried, seeing him first.

"Maddie…"

She looked terrible. Her face was pale and drawn, her hair falling haphazardly from the pins that held it up, her hands, though they had been wiped off, still showing traces of Danny's blood. But it was her eyes that caught Mac's attention. Her normally bright, smiling blue eyes were dull and fearful.

"How is he?" she and Aiden asked simultaneously.

"Why don't you two sit down…" he began.

Maddie shook her head. "I don't want to sit down. Just tell me how Danny is."

Mac frowned. "The bullet entered his shoulder and nicked an artery…"

Aiden sucked in a breath. "Oh my god…"

"…he lost a lot of blood, but damage to the surrounding tissue was pretty minimal."

"Nerve damage?" Maddie asked.

Mac shook his head. "The doctors won't know until he comes out of surgery."

"Is he gonna…" Maddie's voice cracked and she nearly choked on the words "…is he gonna pull through?"

Mac shook his head again. "If they can stop the bleeding…if he hasn't already lost too much blood…if his heart can handle the stress it's been under…"

The fear in her eyes grew and she sank slowly into a nearby chair. Aiden sat beside her, and the two women shared a look. Was it really only an hour ago that they had been giggling over Don's compliments at the restaurant?

A few minutes later Don arrived at the hospital with an update on the preservation of the crime scene.

"Everything's taped off, and I have ten armed officers guarding the building. No one even sneezes until you say so," he told Mac. The elder detective nodded his approval, and Don turned his attention to Aiden. He took a seat beside her and wrapped his arm securely around her, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder as they waited for news.

Mac was torn. He knew the scene needed to be processed as soon as humanly possible, but Danny's life was on the line. He had gone when the call came in during Maddie's attack and had felt awful, as though he had let her down by leaving. And Danny was _his _responsibility, _his _hire, almost a younger brother he couldn't leave. At the same time, though, he wanted to _do _something, to work the case, to make sure everything was done exactly as it should be.

Stella placed a hand on his shoulder, interrupting his musings. "Danny's in surgery, and it'll be a while before they know anything. Sheldon's on his way over, too." She paused a moment before continuing. "Unless you have any objections, I'll head over and start the walk-through. You can stay until you hear something..."

"You sure?" he asked.

She nodded firmly.

He didn't reply in words, but the expression on his face was all Stella needed to see to know her plan was a good one. She said her good-byes and quickly left the hospital while the other four made their way up to the surgical floor, planting themselves numbly in the waiting room. Mac made one quick phone call to let Sheldon know where they were at, then resumed his place in a chair, waiting.

Hours later—or was it days?—a doctor dressed in surgical scrubs walked tiredly over to the little group.

All five stood, but allowed Sheldon to speak first. "How is he?"

"Well, he was pretty touch and go for a while," the doctor replied. "He lost a lot of blood, as you know, but we managed to stop the bleeding and repair the artery. If no other complications arise and he takes it easy for a while, he should be good as new in a couple of months."

Five relieved faces smiled at the doctor and each other.

"Can we see him?" Aiden asked.

The doctor shook his head. "He's still out from the anesthesia. It'll be a couple of hours before he's ready for even a short visit. Go home and get some sleep," he told them. "He should be lucid later on this morning."

"Thanks Doc," Mac said. The doctor nodded and headed off to catch a few hours of sleep himself, and Mac turned to the group. "He's right—we should get some sleep."

Don shook his head. "I know I'm not sleeping tonight. Not till I get the guy that did this to Danny."

"Me neither," Aiden added.

Mac held up his hand to stop them. "Go home. Sleep. Stella did the preliminaries on the scene, and we'll finish up in a few hours. Come in to work rested and thinking clearly so we can nail this guy."

The other two detectives frowned, wanting to stay with their friend until they could see with their own eyes that he was okay.

"Mac's right," Maddie agreed. "I'll stay here and call you, all of you, if there's any change." Aiden started to respond, but Maddie stopped her. "You have the opportunity to _catch_ this guy," she explained. "I can't. All I can do is stay here with Danny. So go…get some sleep, eat a good breakfast, and get the SOB that did this to him." Her words were fiery and helpless all at the same time, and the three police officers knew they had a job to do.

Sheldon spoke when Maddie was finished. "You need to sleep, too, you know," he admonished.

"I know, I'll sleep," Maddie promised. "Now go on, get out of here."

Hugs were exchanged and promises were made to call if there was any news on either end. Don slid an arm around Aiden and led her to the elevator, with Mac and Sheldon following a few steps behind. Maddie watched them go and sighed, looking around the empty waiting area for a place to sleep. She found a couch over against a wall and stretched out, closing her eyes.

More time passed before a nurse came in and shook her awake.

"You're here with Detective Messer, right?" she asked Maddie.

Maddie nodded groggily. "Yeah. What happened? Is something wrong?"

"Everything's fine," the nurse assured her. "He came out of the anesthesia just fine and the doctor says everything looks good so far."

Maddie exhaled slowly, relieved.

"They're moving him from the recovery room now. He's gone back to sleep, but you can sit with him if you'd like to."

"Thank you," Maddie replied, knowing the nurse wasn't supposed to let her see him until visiting hours. She followed the nurse into a different wing of the hospital and stopped outside a closed door.

"In here," the nurse told her. "If you need anything, just let us know."

Maddie smiled gratefully. "Thank you," she said again.

She pushed open the door and crept quietly into the room. Danny lay on his back, stripped to the waist except for the layers of white gauze taped to the front of his shoulder and the leads from the heart monitor pasted to his chest. His right arm was tied to his upper body with the forearm resting across his abdomen in a blue sling to keep it from moving. An IV flowed from his left arm and he looked pale, even in the weak light that was just beginning to appear in the window.

Maddie pulled a chair over to the bed and sat beside him, taking his free hand in both of hers. She had remained calm all night, but now felt tears forming in her eyes.

"Danny…" That was as far as she got. All the emotions she had quelled since the first noises at the jewelry store poured out of her and she cried harder than she had ever cried before, burying her face in the blankets as sobs wracked her body.


	12. The Day After

Sunlight streamed in through the window when Danny blinked open his eyes and tried to look around. He couldn't see, but when he tried to reach for his glasses he discovered that his right arm was unmovable and felt like it was on fire. He felt someone holding his left hand and looked over to that side of the bed. Even without the glasses he knew who it was.

"Maddie…."

"Look who's finally awake," she smiled, sitting up straighter in her chair. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"I feel like I've been hit by a truck," he groaned.

Maddie smiled again, more out of relief than anything else. "Well, you had a pretty bad day at the office, there, slugger," she told him.

Danny grimaced. "Yeah, I guess I did."

"You had us worried," she said quietly.

"Us?"

"Mac and Sheldon and Aiden and Don were all here until you came out of surgery, and Stella was here for a while too. They didn't want to leave, but they decided their time was better spent hunting down the guy that hurt you."

He nodded. "Good, 'cause when I get outta here, I want five minutes alone with him…"

"Oh no you don't," she warned. "Save that tough cop crap for someone else. You're not even going to be able to button up your own shirt for a while." She stopped and her eyes twinkled when she continued, "But _I'll _take five minutes alone with him…"

He laughed out loud at that just as the nurse walked into the room.

"That's good to hear," she smiled. She checked the heart monitor he was attached to and recorded his vital signs on his chart before looking over the bandage on his shoulder.

Maddie looked around the room searching for his glasses, and found a large manila envelope sitting on a table near the window. It contained his watch, wallet, keys, badge, and glasses, the latter of which she pulled out and took over to him. He smiled appreciatively and took her hand again as she sat back down in the chair beside his bed.

"When was the last time you slept?" he asked as the nurse left.

"I slept while you slept," she informed him.

"In that chair? Maddie you should go home...tomorrow's Monday...you've got school in the morning..."

She shook her head. "I'm taking tomorrow off. The school actually found a competent substitute teacher, and the kids'll be okay for day without me." He opened his mouth to protest but she quickly stopped him. "This is one argument you're not going to win, Danny-boy. You've taken care of me _and_ them since the day we met," she reminded him, squeezing his hand gently. "Now you gotta let me take care of you for a while."

He smiled shyly. "Alright," he conceded. "But why don't you at least go home and grab a shower, change your clothes...you look like hell," he winked.

She grinned. "Have you looked in a mirror lately?"

"And maybe you can smuggle in some dinner on your way back..." he added.

She laughed. "I'll see what I can do." She sat for a minute, still holding his hand, her blue eyes gazing into his, and felt butterflies forming in her stomach. She wanted to ask him about the moment at the Empire State Building, to see if she had imagined the look in his eyes, to find out what he had wanted to say. But she did none of those things, instead squeezing his hand one more time and promising to return as quickly as she could.

When Maddie appeared again she was wearing a clean pair of blue jeans and an FDNY t-shirt. Locks of her still-wet hair hung loosely around her face, having escaped from the pony tail she had hastily attempted. She carried a grocery bag in one arm and a DVD player in the other, and smiled happily as she brought them in.

"What's all that?" Danny asked curiously, struggling to sit up.

"Dinner and a movie," she smiled. She put down the grocery bag and DVD player and helped ease him to a comfortable position. "I smuggled in a pizza from our favorite Italian place, and managed to liberate some Jell-O from the cafeteria for dessert."

He grinned. "Is that a DVD player, too?"

"Yep—the one from my place. Won't take two minutes to hook it up to your TV, and we can have movie night here this weekend."

She moved the grocery bag next to him on the bed so he could sort through the DVDs she'd brought along and busied herself with connecting the player to the television. He dutifully pulled out a few movies and looked at them, but kept glancing over at Maddie. He wanted to ask her about the moment at the Empire State Building, to see if he had imagined the look in her eyes, to find out if she felt the same way he did.

He shook his head as if to clear it, and she finished connecting the DVD player to the TV.

"So what's the verdict?" she asked, taking her place in the chair beside his bed. He handed her a movie rather absently and she looked at it. "_Apollo 13_? Really?"

"It's your favorite," he smiled in response.

She crossed the room and popped the disc into the player and started to return to her chair.

"C'mere and sit with me," Danny said, holding out his good arm to her. "It'll be more like home..."

Maddie smiled and seated herself on the bed beside him, allowing him to wrap his arm around her as he had done many times before. She laid her head against his good shoulder and rested a hand on his bare chest, careful not to interfere with the cardiac leads.

Danny tried to concentrate on the movie, but his focus would not stay on the screen. After being shot he swore to himself that if he lived, he was going to tell Maddie how he felt. He wasn't timid in any other aspect of his life, and was determined not to be so with her, either. Sitting beside her now, he breathed in the scent of her freshly-washed hair and the baby powder she'd worn in lieu of perfume, feeling the butterflies that had roosted in his stomach at the Empire State Building return. He noticed how tightly she was clinging to him and wondered again if he had imagined the look in her eyes on the observation deck.

He decided it didn't matter. He loved her, more than he ever thought possible, and he needed her to know it. He squeezed her shoulders gently and kissed her hair, mentally taking a deep breath. He could feel her smile form against his shoulder and knew it was time. He lowered his lips to her ear and kissed her hair again.

"I love you," he whispered softly.

Her heart lept at the declaration, but then the common sense part of her brain took over—of course he didn't mean that romantically. She patted his chest. "I know you do, we're best friends," she said, hoping the disappointment didn't show in her voice.

"No, I don't think you understand, Maddie," he tried again. "I'm _in_ love with you."

She pulled away from him and sat up. "You're serious, aren't you?"

He licked his lips nervously and nodded. "Yeah."

Maddie sat looking at him, stunned into silence, and Danny forced himself to remain calm.

He brushed a hand across her cheek, searching her face for some kind of reaction. "You're intelligent...you're kind...and funny...and beautiful..."

She took his hand in hers and shook her head, still unable to believe what he was saying. "Danny, you just think you're in love with me. It's a reaction to being shot…"

He reached for her again, letting a finger slide down her neck and trace over her scar from the attack at Eastside High. He remembered how it felt to have almost lost her that day and steeled himself for a repeat of that feeling, but he wasn't going to back off now. "No," he said softly, "I'm in love with you. I didn't know it until we were at the Empire State Building, and I should have said something then. I wanted to…"

That got her attention. "The Empire State Building?"

He nodded again. "Standing there in the moonlight with you, holding hands…it would have been perfect…"

"…but the elevator guy messed everything up," she finished. Then something clicked in her mind. "So I didn't imagine it…"

"Imagine what?"

"The look in your eyes…it was real…"

He looked away, embarrassed. "You saw that?"

She smiled and quietly repeated her statement from the previous night. "As well as you can read me, Danny Messer, I can read you better."

He still wouldn't look at her. "So did I read _you_ right, up there? I thought I saw…"

She was grinning now, and took his hand. "You did." She waited a moment for his eyes to find hers. When they did her smile broadened and she squeezed his hand. "I love you."

He was so prepared for rejection that he didn't know what to say when it didn't come. "You do?"

"I do!" Maddie laughed joyfully. "I am totally, hopelessly in love with you!"

She released his hand and caressed his face, running her thumb over the stubble that had grown in. He leaned forward to kiss her, but the cardiac wires and an immobile arm hindered his efforts.

Maddie laughed again and leaned toward him. "Here, let me help you with that," she grinned happily.

His lips found hers, tentatively at first but then with more confidence, and his arm slipped around her. Her hand rested again on his bare chest, and she could feel his heart beating rapidly beneath it, hearing the rhythm of the cardiac monitor increase in tempo.

She pulled back, still grinning. "We better be careful," she teased glancing at the monitor. "Don't want you getting too excited there…"

Danny laughed, too loudly for a hospital ward, but he couldn't help it—he was the happiest man on earth. "I won't tell if you won't."

"Deal." She leaned forward and kissed him again, a soft, sweet kiss.

When they parted, he flashed her a big, dopey, love-struck grin that made her giggle girlishly. She curled up against him, once again resting her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest. He pulled his arm tightly around her and kissed her hair.

"I love you so much," he told her, threading his fingers tenderly through her brown curls. "You deserve someone better than me, but I'm glad you settled."

"You _know_ I didn't settle," she informed him, running her hand over his chest contentedly. "There isn't anyone better for me than you."


	13. Baby Steps

A/N: _Zamboni Rodeo_ is the work of Jason Cohen, and is the story of the 1996-97 Austin Ice Bats, a minor league hockey team in Austin, Texas. It's one of my favorite books, hilarious and real, and a great read—it kept me from going totally crazy when I was student teaching a few years ago, so this is my way of saying thank you for that (not that Jason Cohen is reading this, but hey, who knows…).

The movie ended and Danny and Maddie cuddled together as best they could without worsening his injury, watching the credits roll across the screen.

"Wanna watch another one?" he asked, nuzzling her cheek.

She smiled blissfully, still not sure if she really was lying in Danny's arms or if she was dreaming. "What time is it?" she asked in reply.

He peeked over her head at the clock sitting on the nightstand beside the hospital bed. "Seven o'clock."

"You're going to have company in little bit," she told him, patting his chest and sitting up reluctantly. "I talked to Aiden earlier on my way home, and she said they'd be dropping by to see you…"

"…and to process me," he frowned. He didn't like thinking of himself as a victim.

"And to process you," she confirmed.

She ran a hand over his face, smiling tenderly down at him. He reached up and gently touched the scar on her neck, smiling back as he shared her thought: _Thank god you're alive_.

"I love you," he told her softly.

"I love you, too," she smiled as she leaned down and kissed him.

It took them a minute to hear the man clearing his throat in the doorway.

Danny saw him first. "Mac…"

Maddie turned around and tried to be nonchalant. "Oh hey Mac…" She swung her legs over the side of the bed and hopped down as he stepped into the room.

He glanced from Maddie to Danny, noting the silly grin plastered on his face and the dreamy look in her eyes. "Am I interrupting?"

"Of course not," Maddie replied.

"No no no, Mac, come on in," Danny added.

Mac suppressed a smile, giving Maddie a quick hug on his way to Danny's bedside. "How're you feeling?"

"I'm doin' okay," Danny replied, trying to temper his giddy expression.

"I guess so," Mac said dryly.

Maddie piped up from the foot of the bed. "I'm gonna go grab a cup of coffee," she said, wanting to give the two friends some time alone. "Can I bring you anything from the cafeteria, Mac?"

"You don't have to go," Danny told her quickly.

"It's okay," she reassured him. "You two have things to discuss." She smiled at him, a version of her smile that only he seemed to be able to coax from her lips. "I'll be back later."

The dopey grin returned as his eyes followed her out of the room.

Mac concealed another smile. "So what was that all about?" he asked, sitting in the chair beside the bed.

"What was what?"

The senior detective allowed his smothered smile to show. "You don't need to be a highly-observant criminalist to notice the looks you two were trading…"

Danny felt his face growing warm. "You know when we were processing that bride…"

"Yes," Mac nodded.

"You asked me if Maddie and I had ever considered dating, and I told you I wasn't good enough for her."

Mac nodded again. "And I told _you_ you should ask Maddie what she thought."

Danny looked down at the IV in his free hand, his smile stretching from ear to ear. "Well, I asked."

Mac chuckled. "Congratulations, Danny. It finally happened."

"Yeah," Danny grinned. "Hell froze over." Then his expression changed, becoming serious. "Listen, Mac, I know you and Maddie are good friends, and I want you to know that I would never do anything to hurt her. I'm not playin' around, here—this is not some little fling. I love her, more than anything else in the world…"

"I know you do," Mac told him, "and I know you'll take good care of her."

Danny beamed at his mentor's approval, and the two sat in silence for a few moments before he spoke. "Mac, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"I, uh, never felt this way about someone before, ya know? You think it'd be okay if, uh…if I…sometimes…asked you for advice?" Danny asked self-consciously. "I don't want to screw this up…"

Mac grinned. "Anytime," he promised, patting Danny's good shoulder. His wedding band caught the light and he chuckled again, lifting his hand to get a better look at it. "You know, before too long you'll be wearing one of these, too…" he teased.

"Let's not get crazy, now," Danny cautioned. "I _just_ figured out I'm in love with her. Baby steps, Mac…"

"Okay, okay," Mac agreed, his eyes twinkling, "one thing at a time. There's certainly no hurry." He reached over and picked up his kit from beside the chair he'd been sitting in. "But we do need to get you processed…"

* * *

Stella found Maddie sitting at an empty table in the nearly empty cafeteria, sipping a can of coke and reading a book. "What book is that?"

Maddie looked up and smiled ruefully as Stella sat down. "It's called _Zamboni Rodeo_ but I'm not really reading it much—my concentration is shot."

Stella nodded sympathetically. "I bet it is. But Danny seems to be doing okay…I stopped by his room and he had this big dopey grin on his face…"

Maddie laughed delightedly. "Still? You'd think he'd never been kissed before."

Stella grinned. "Well, he'd never been kissed by _you_ before…"

Maddie smiled happily. "He has now."

"And I lost the pool," Stella replied, laughing. "My money was on Eastside's graduation ceremony. But I'm glad you two finally got together. I'm just sorry it took a shooting to do it."

Maddie's smiled faded. "How's the case going?"

"Actually, that's why I'm here," Stella told her. "You were a witness, and I need to ask you a few questions."

"All right."

"Tell me exactly what happened, as best as you can remember."

Maddie took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Danny and I were walking down the street when we heard noises inside the jewelry story. The front door was broken, and there were people moving around inside."

"How many?"

Maddie shook her head. "I don't know. More than one is all I can tell you."

Stella made a note in her memo book. "Then what happened."

"Danny decided to go in and unholstered his gun…"

"He was carrying while you guys were on a date?"

"It wasn't really a date," Maddie smiled softly, "but he very often carries his gun when we're out, partly for protection and partly because, well, you know Danny. He's never _really_ off duty."

Stella nodded. "I know they type. Okay, so Danny draws his gun…then what?"

"He went into the store, very slowly, and identified himself. I heard noises, people running, and he went further into the store…I couldn't see him very well in the dark—just his outline—but I heard the gunshot and saw him fall. After that, I was only concerned with Danny…"

Stella reached into her pocked and pulled out a cell phone and handed it to Maddie. "We found this at the scene. It's yours isn't it?"

Maddie nodded and took it from her. "Yeah. I must've dropped it when I ran to Danny…"

"Anything else you remember?"

Maddie shook her head. "Right after I got to Danny, Don and Aiden showed up and called the ambulance. That's about it."

"I'm gonna need the clothes you were wearing," Stella told her.

Maddie nodded. "They're lying on my bathroom floor. I stopped home for a minute this afternoon to take a shower." She laughed a little. "I was just going to stay here for a while longer, but Danny told me I looked like hell…"

Stella smiled. "Never one to beat around the bush, is he? You haven't washed the clothes or done anything to them?"

"No. Everything I wore I peeled off before I got in the shower and left in my apartment, except for the sweater I was wearing. I used it to try and stop the bleeding in Danny's shoulder, and it got left at the jewelry store."

Stella made a few more notes in her memo book. "Yeah, we have that at the lab."

Maddie's cell phone rang, and she glanced down at the Caller ID display. It was an NYPD number. "'Scuse me a minute, Stella, I gotta get this." She flipped open the phone as she rose from her seat and walked to a corner of the cafeteria. "Hello?"

"Miss Parrish? It's Luis Romero…from fifth period?"

"Luis," she smiled into the phone. He was one of her brightest students and she always enjoyed hearing from him.

"Miss Parrish, I'm in trouble…I need your help…"

* * *

Mac stood behind his desk, having returned to his office after his visit with Danny, looking at a picture he kept in his wallet. She was standing in the sunlight, her eyes sparkling, smiling up at him the way only she could. He remembered the day well—they had eaten lunch together at Battery Park, not far from the World Trade Center, and he had his kit and camera in the back of his car. He'd pulled out the camera when she wasn't looking and snapped the picture of her, knowing it was against regulations, but somehow not really worried about it. She looked so beautiful, his Claire, and something in the back of his mind had whispered _how many more chances do you think you'll have?_

A week later, the Twin Towers fell and took his Claire away from him. Shortly after, he'd gotten rid of everything that reminded him of her, trying to make the pain go away. But he had forgotten about the picture until he went through the stack of photos from the scene he'd been working that day. He'd cried when he found it, long and hard, until Stella had found him and taken him home.

Stella. She had known Claire, had been friends with her, and knew how much he'd loved her. She was there when Claire died, doing her best to comfort him and help him grieve. She was there for him now, always looking out for him, making sure he didn't retreat too far inside himself, away from those who cared about him, away from her.

He set the wallet down on the desk and shifted his gaze to the wedding band on his left hand, twisting it they way he sometimes did when he was thinking. Stella had asked him once why he still wore it. All he had managed to tell her was that he didn't want to take it off. What he couldn't tell her was that he wasn't ready to. Taking off his wedding band meant letting go of Claire forever, admitting that she was no longer his, and he had been unable to do that.

His thoughts drifted to Danny and Maddie. He'd only seen them together briefly today, but he knew how much they loved each other. He and the other CSIs had known before they themselves had, and he was sure they would be together as long as they lived. He had even teased Danny about it, knowing what a big deal it was for his protégé to admit that he was in love. And what had Danny said to him? _Baby steps, Mac_…

He frowned at his wedding band, turning a thought over in his mind. He had loved Claire, and always would, but he knew she wouldn't want him to wallow the way he did. She would want him to be happy. He didn't have to take the plunge all at once and go out and get married right away—that isn't how he did things anyway. But little bit by little bit, he should try and find someone who made him happy. _Baby steps_…

He knew who made him happy. Stella made him happy. He knew he was in love with her. Maddie knew it too, had figured it out the night of his birthday party. She had seemed fairly certain then that someday, when he was ready, love would find him again, perhaps in the form of a curly-haired Greek-Italian CSI.

He looked down at the picture in his wallet again. It was time. He was ready for his first step.

"I love you," he whispered softly, sliding the wedding band off his finger. He slipped it into the plastic holder with picture and sealed the open side with tape so as not to lose it. He let his eyes linger on the photo and the ring for a moment more, then closed the wallet and placed it back in his pocket. When he looked up, he saw her there on the floor below, smiling up at him.

Stella.

He smiled back gently. _Baby steps_…


	14. Luis

Maddie made her way quickly to the precinct Luis had called from, wondering what she was going to be able to do for him. He had been rather vague on the phone, sounding like a scared little boy, and she hadn't pressed for details.

After a few inquiries she found a detective that knew her and led her to the holding cell where Luis was being kept. He rose from the bench he'd been sitting on when he saw her approach and walked to the front of the cell, grasping the bars in his hands.

"Miss Parrish! I'm so glad you came…"

Maddie looked at her student and grasped the bars in her hands as well. "Luis, what happened?"

"You gotta help me, Miss Parrish. They arrested me for attempted murder!"

"Did you do it?" she asked pointedly.

He lowered his eyes and said nothing.

"If you didn't do it _hijo_ tell me now, and I'll fight to the death for you," she told him softly.

A grief-stricken expression settled on his features but still he remained silent.

"If you're guilty, Luis, I won't let you hide behind me. You have to take responsibility for your actions…"

"It was an accident," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "We were only supposed to rob the place. We broke in after closing, when no one was around, just to get the jewelry. The next thing I know, someone's walkin' in through the door we busted and pulling out his gun…"

A cold feeling began to develop in the pit of Maddie's stomach. "What time did this happen?"

"'Bout ten o'clock."

The cold feeling grew stronger. "Which jewelry store?"

Luis was too wrapped up in his own shame to notice the odd expression on her face. "Brady's, in midtown."

The color drained from Maddie's face and she began to shake as the realization hit her. "Oh god…"

"Miss Parrish? You okay?"

She let go of the bars and backed away from the cell. "I have to go, Luis. I can't talk to you anymore…"

He was becoming frightened. "Why? What happened?"

"I was there…"

"What?" he asked in disbelief.

Tears formed in her eyes. "I was there with Detective Messer when he tried to stop you…"

"That was Detective Messer?" he asked, horrified. "¡_Perdoname, dios mio_!" He began to cry, leaning his forehead against the bars he clung to. "I'm so sorry, Miss Parrish…I'm so sorry…" he sobbed.

Maddie felt the tears spilling from her own eyes. She took one last look at Luis, then turned and fled from the precinct.

* * *

She crept down the hospital corridor, grateful to the nurse who had let her in after visiting hours. She found Danny's room and paused in the doorway.

His face lit up when he spotted her. "Hey beautiful."

Maddie smiled back, moving closer to him. "Hey yourself, hot stuff," she returned.

Something about her voice, her expression, wasn't quite right and as she stepped into the light from the fluorescent bulb over his bed he could see that her eyes were red and swollen. "Maddie, what's wrong?"

She sat in the chair beside his bed and allowed him to take her hand. "There's something I need to tell you," she replied quietly.

Never in the history of the English language had anything good ever followed that sentence, and he frowned. "What is it?"

"I just got back from the precinct…"

She had popped in on her way out to say good-bye to him, so this wasn't news. "How's the kid doin'?"

"He's a wreck. Sobbing, remorseful…and guilty."

That explained her pained expression. He ran his thumb over her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. "I know you did everything you could."

She shook her head. "No, Danny, you don't understand. I don't know _what_ to do…"

"Why not?"

She pressed her lips together. "Because," she said slowly, "he was the one who shot you."

"What? One of your students shot me?" he asked incredulously.

Maddie bowed her head. "He didn't know it was you, or that I was with you…"

"But he shot another human being!"

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to keep the tears at bay. "He's a good kid…"

Danny let go of her hand. "Wait a minute. This kid almost killed me, and you're makin' excuses for him?" he asked incredulously.

"No," she told him firmly, shaking her head. "You know me better than that."

He was angry now. "Do I? 'Cause it sounds to me like that's exactly what you're doin'. You're justifyin' this 'cause he's poor, or his family is uneducated, or he lives in a bad neighborhood…"

She interrupted him, becoming irritated. "You know I grew up the same way…you _know_ I never let any of my kids use their upbringing as an excuse…"

"What I _know_ is that I poured my heart out to you this afternoon, and now you're takin' sides with the kid who tried to kill me!"

"Danny, listen to me," she replied firmly, looking directly into his eyes and trying to remain calm, "I am _not_ taking sides. I love you more than anything else in the world, you've got to believe that." His eyes shifted to avoid her gaze and she ran a hand softly over his cheek, turning his head toward her again. "I'm yours, always, no matter what."

"And the kid?"

She frowned. She felt so many things about the situation and didn't know how to articulate them.

Her pause was too long for his liking. "I think you should go."

Danny saw the hurt look in her eyes, but pushed away the guilty feeling that was developing in the pit of his stomach.

Maddie saw the anger in his eyes, but hoped he would understand her position when he calmed down. _If_ he calmed down.

She rose from her chair and leaned in to kiss him, but he turned his face away from her. The action stung her but she tried to ignore it, placing her lips on his temple instead.

"I love you," she whispered.

He didn't respond, didn't react at all, and she left without another word.

* * *

Maddie climbed into her car and drove, heading in the direction of her apartment. Her mind kept turning over thoughts of Luis, sobbing in his holding cell. Then it would flash to Danny at the hospital, his angry face turning away from her when she tried to kiss him. The images alternated back and forth, and the tears she had managed to suppress at the hospital began to cloud her vision.

She needed to talk to someone, to vent to a sympathetic ear. She needed someone who knew her and understood her, but who also knew and understood Danny. Maddie glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It was too late to call any of her friends from school, and Don, Aiden, Mac, and Stella were all working hard on Danny's case, if not catching a few winks of sleep themselves. Who could she go to?

She found herself pulling into a parking space at the M.E.'s office, hoping Sheldon was still around. It didn't take her long to find him, stretched out on the cot set up near the autopsy room, book in hand and reading glasses perched on his nose. He smiled when he saw her.

"My favorite science teacher," he grinned, closing the book and removing his glasses as he sat up.

"My favorite pathologist," she smiled back, sitting down beside him.

"What brings you out here at this time of night? Don't you have school in the morning?"

She nodded. "I do, but I needed to talk to someone. Today was kind of a roller coaster day."

He smiled again. "Yeah, I heard about you and Danny," he told her. "Congratulations."

"Wow, news travels fast," she chuckled. The she became serious. "Did you hear about our first fight, too?"

Sheldon's face took on a concerned expression, and he noticed her red eyes. "What happened?"

Maddie sighed heavily. "One of my students was involved in Danny's shooting," she replied. "Turns out he was the one that pulled the trigger."

"Oh no…"

"Yeah. They're holding him at one of the precincts, and I went to see him. He confessed everything to me, just sobbing." Sheldon slid his arm around Maddie's shoulders and squeezed them gently, trying to offer some measure of comfort. She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed again. "I left as soon as I realized, but I feel so torn…"

"And Danny thinks you're giving aid and comfort to the enemy," he finished.

She shifted positions, resting her chin in her hands and propping her elbows up on her knees. "You should have seen the look in his eyes, Sheldon. He was so angry with me…so hurt…like I betrayed him…"

He squeezed her shoulders again, hating to see her so upset. "He's overwhelmed…he was shot, told you he loved you, heard you tell him you loved him, found out one of your students pulled the trigger, and that you're going to try and help the boy…all in just the last twenty-four hours. It's a lot to absorb."

Maddie nodded, burying her face in her hands. "It is, I know."

"C'mere," Sheldon said gently, pulling her into a reassuring hug. "Just give him some time to process everything…he'll come around."

She relaxed into his arms. "You think so?"

"He'd be crazy not to," he said, running a hand slowly over her back.

She pulled back and smiled. "Can I have that in writing?"

Sheldon laughed. "Absolutely."

Maddie hugged him again, squeezing him tightly and kissing him lightly on the cheek. "I'm lucky to have you, Sheldon. You're a good friend."

He smiled. "It's the least I can do for the woman who finally taught me to ice skate."

She laughed and the two said their good-byes. Sheldon stood for a moment and watched Maddie walk out of the building, making a mental note to pay a visit to a certain detective in the hospital the next day.


	15. Choices

Sheldon appeared in the door bright and early, belying the late night he'd spent at the morgue.

"What's up doc?" Danny smiled from his bed.

Sheldon allowed the corners of his lips to curve up a little, but didn't return the smile entirely. "You're up early."

Danny nodded slowly, sensing that this was more than a social call. "Slept too much yesterday," he replied, "woke up 'bout an hour ago."

"How're you feeling?" the young doctor asked, taking a seat in the vacant chair beside the bed.

"I'll live," Danny told him, eyeing his visitor with a hint of suspicion. "But you aren't here to check up on me, are you?"

"Well, I am, but I do have an ulterior motive as well." Danny raised an eyebrow and Sheldon chose his words carefully, wanting to make his point but not lose a friend. "Maddie came to see me last night at the morgue."

Danny frowned. "I s'pose she told you 'bout what happened."

Sheldon nodded. "She did."

"So you wanted to come down here and get all tough-guy on me?" the detective smirked. "Tell me what you'll do to me if I hurt her?"

Sheldon shook his head. "No, Danny, I'm not going to threaten you," he said. "I just want to talk."

"Alright then, talk."

"How many times have students called Maddie for help since you've known her?"

Danny reached back into his mind, but couldn't come up with a number. "A fair number," was the best he could do.

"How many of them have been guilty?" Sheldon asked.

"Enough," Danny replied.

"How many of the guilty ones has she ever defended?"

Danny thought back again and frowned, knowing where Sheldon was going. "None. Either they own up to what they did, or they're on their own."

"Has it ever been easy for her to leave them?"

Danny looked down at his hands, his brow furrowing resentfully. "Of course not."

Sheldon asked one more question. "So why should this kid be any different?"

Danny was uncharacteristically silent

Sheldon continued. "Look, Danny, you've had a very turbulent twenty-four hours, and you have every right to be upset—I don't know anyone who wouldn't be. But if you're not careful, you're going to ruin the best thing that ever happened to you, and you'll never forgive yourself if you do."

Danny remained silent, and Sheldon decided he had made his point. He rose from the chair and left the room quietly, leaving Danny with his thoughts.

* * *

All that week, Eastside High was in a state of unrest. Danny's participation in the simulated crime scene lesson and his recurring visits made him an accepted and well-liked part of the school, and word had spread about his shooting. That one of their own was involved was more than some students could handle, and they made it a point to take out their displeasure on Luis's friends. Maddie again found herself caught between a rock and a hard place, refusing to take sides even when students pressured her to do so.

One day the animosity overflowed into the lesson.

"Miss Parrish, I heard some disturbing news," a girl said in class.

"What's that?"

"That you went to see Luis Romero in jail."

"I did," she told the class. "He asked me for help"

"But he shot the only cop that ever treated us like we're worth somethin'!" another student called hostilely.

"And as soon as I found out, I left his cell," Maddie replied.

"You just left him there?" one of Luis's friends asked.

Maddie frowned. "I had to. I was a witness to the crime he's being accused of." She hopped up on her desk and gazed out at her students. They looked ready to burst with emotion. "It's pretty obvious you guys need to talk about this, so let's talk. But," she said, raising a hand to stop the tirade of comments about to come her way, "we're going to discuss this like adults. Be polite and respectful to whoever is speaking, and make sure everyone gets to say their piece."

A boy near the back raised her hand and Maddie called on him.

"We don't really have any facts about what happened, Miss Parrish, just rumors."

"Yeah," a classmate seconded. "No one knows what really went on that night."

"Okay, so you want the real story then?" Maddie asked.

Heads nodded and students agreed.

"Well, here's what I know. Detective Messer was off duty, when he tried to stop a burglary at a jewelry store in midtown. He was shot in the shoulder and taken to the hospital. The surgeon stopped the bleeding and repaired most of the damage, and he's going to make a full recovery," she stressed the last phrase, trying to reassure her students. "Luis was arrested, confessed to his part in the crime."

"Were you there when it happened?" someone asked.

Maddie nodded. "I was with Detective Messer when he was shot."

"Were you hurt Miss Parrish?"

"No, only the detective."

"Did you see it happen?"

She nodded again. "Everything but the faces of the robbers."

"You saw Detective Messer get shot?" someone asked incredulously.

Maddie looked away from the eyes of her students, trying to keep the images of Danny lying on a carpet of broken glass with a bullet hole in his shoulder from flooding her mind. "Yes."

"And Luis did it?"

"He was part of it, yes."

The room was quiet while the class absorbed all Maddie had told them. Then someone spoke up from the corner of the room.

"How can you be so calm about it, Miss Parrish? If it were me I'd be torn apart…"

"I am," she replied softly. "You all know how much I care about you and how much it hurts me to see you make bad choices. And many of you know what it's like to sit beside the hospital bed of someone you care about—that's hard too. So I'm just doin' the best I can, Tina…just like you guys are."

The bell rang, and the students packed up their belongings and left with few words. Maddie closed a book she'd left open on a lab table and tucked it away on its shelf. When she turned around, she found Dantrell waiting for her.

"Hey Dantrell," she smiled. "How are you doing with all this? You're pretty close to Detective Messer and to Luis."

Dantrell nodded. "I'm okay. Goin' to see Luis after school today…"

"Good idea," Maddie told him. "He needs you right now."

"Yeah…" He let his voice trail off for a moment before he spoke again. "Do you think it might be okay if I went to visit Detective Messer in the hospital?"

Maddie smiled. "I think he'd like that a lot. He's pretty fond of you, ya know…very proud of you, too. He'd be happy to see you."

Dantrell smiled shyly. "You think so?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Now you better get going…don't want to be late for class…"

"One more thing…I wanted you to know that you're not alone, Miss Parrish. This whole caught-in-the-middle thing…I'm right here with you…"

Maddie felt a wave of pride wash over her. He'd grown up so much in the short time she'd known him. "Thanks kiddo, that means a lot to me," she told him.

He smiled shyly at her again then headed off to his next class.

* * *

Danny spent the remainder of the week in the hospital where doctors could keep an eye on the damaged artery in his shoulder. Friends, family, and co-workers came to visit him, bringing flowers and get-well wishes. Many of the students of Eastside High School also dropped by to check up on him, but one person was conspicuously absent. The other CSIs sometimes carried messages from her, and he sent messages back with them, but Maddie refused to return to the hospital. After the way he had treated her, though, he wasn't surprised.

The day he was released, Aiden picked him up from the hospital and took him home, fussing over him and trying to get him to sit down and rest.

"I've been cooped up in a hospital bed for a week, Aid," he told her. "I don't need anymore rest."

He paced restlessly around his apartment while she unpacked a week's worth of plants, balloons, and cards. He wandered into the kitchen and stared blankly at the calendar, suddenly realizing he had no idea what day it was.

"Aiden," he called to her. "What's today?"

"Today's Tuesday," she told him.

"Which Tuesday?"

Aiden walked into the kitchen and glanced at the calendar. "June seventh, why?"

His eyes found the little note he'd left himself in the square for June seventh: _Eastside High, 7:00_. He looked at the clock on the microwave. It read 5:32. He didn't know how angry she still was with him, or if she'd even speak to him, but Sheldon's words rang in his ears. _You're going to ruin the best thing that ever happened to you, and you'll never forgive yourself if you do._

He knew he had a choice to make. He could stand by and do nothing, as he'd done all week, and wait to see if things would work out on their own. Or he could go get her back.

He decided he wasn't the waiting type.

"Hey Aid, how'd you like to take me to a graduation ceremony?"


	16. Graduation

He found Maddie right where the principal had said she'd be, walking around the back parking lot helping the graduates with caps and gowns as they lined up to go out onto the football field for the ceremony. He stood for a moment and watched her smiling proudly and hugging some of the students, the soft material of her blue dress flowing around her, feeling his heart race. Would they be able to talk, or would they end up fighting again?

Maddie didn't notice him at first, but when some of the students began smiling and waving she turned around and saw him there, waiting. He was dressed simply in black pants and a white dress shirt open at the collar, with his right arm held against his body in the same bright blue sling he'd been given after surgery. The expression on his face was unsure, but his lips curved into a small smile when their eyes met, and her heart skipped a beat.

"Hey slugger," she smiled softly as she walked toward him. "They let you out, eh?"

"This afternoon," he replied. "And just in time, it turns out."

She nodded. "The kids'll be glad to see you. You should go say hi."

"I'll catch 'em afterwards. Is there someplace we can talk?" he asked instead.

She nodded slowly. "These guys are just about to head out onto the field, and then we'll be alone." She turned back to the group of students and smiled. "All right folks, let's get this show on the road. Who's ready to graduate?"

A cheer went up from the graduates as they lined up on the track. The concert band began to play _Pomp and Circumstance_, and they marched out to the football field. Maddie helped correct a few last-minute cap and gown problems and congratulated them one more time.

Danny stood a few feet back, watching her watch the students. He could see how proud she was of them, and felt a bit of that himself as many familiar faces paraded past him onto the field. He had shared a lot with them, and with her, and he hoped this wasn't the last class he would help graduate.

When the students were gone, Maddie turned to Danny and walked slowly over to him. "I want to explain myself," she told him. "That day at the hospital, I wasn't making excuses for Luis…I was really just thinking out loud…trying to figure out how one of my best and brightest could be involved in criminal activity. I realized the next day what I had said and how it sounded…"

He took her hand in his good one and ran his thumb over her smooth skin. "I shoulda known," he replied. "We may not have a long history together, but I _know_ you, and you've never made an excuse for anyone, ever. Not the kids, not your family, not yourself…if I hadn't been so angry I'd have seen that…"

She squeezed his hand gently. "You have every right to be upset with me…"

"No, I shouldn't have lost my temper."

"So much happened in such a short time, we were both just trying to keep up."

He grimaced. "That's why we fought," he replied. "You and I have never had a problem talkin' to each other, but…"

"…we just got hit with too much at once," she finished for him.

He nodded in agreement and his eyes took on a familiar twinkle. "I mean, I've never been shot by my girlfriend's student before."

Maddie laughed and looked down at their hands, noticing that their fingers had become intertwined. "So I'm your girlfriend now?" she teased.

Danny grinned. "You know you wanna be…"

"Convince me."

His grin widened as he leaned down and kissed her, his arm snaking around her, his palm resting in the small of her back. She slid her arms around his shoulders and kissed him back, a slow, deep kiss that made her toes curl and left her breathless. When he pulled back she wore a happy yet slightly dazed expression on her face.

"How was that?" he asked with a smirk.

"Very convincing," she returned grinning. She kissed him again, lightly this time. "I'm sorry I didn't come back to the hospital. I didn't think you wanted to see me."

"I didn't think you wanted to see _me_," he said, leaning his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry I got so upset…"

She ran her fingers through the hair on the back of his neck and smiled. "I'll forgive you if you forgive me."

"Deal," he smiled back, softly kissing her lips and the scar on her neck.

The administrators were beginning to call names and hand out diplomas, and Maddie's focus shifted to the stage that had been set up on the football field. She took Danny's hand and led him up to an empty spot in the bleachers where they could watch the rest of the ceremony, spotting Aiden and Don as they climbed.

Aiden smiled, noticing how Maddie held Danny's hand, and nudged Don. "Look, they made up!"

Don saw the happy smiles on his friends' faces and grinned himself. "So draggin' me all the way over here was worth it, then?"

Her smile broadened as she kissed his lips briefly. "Absolutely."

Danny sat down beside Maddie and looked out at the graduates as they lined up near the stage. "There's Dantrell…"

They cheered loudly for the young man and succeeded in bringing an embarrassed smiled to his face as he walked across the stage. He waved in their direction when he received his diploma, then returned quickly to his chair, fishing a piece of notebook paper out of his pocket.

When the diplomas had all been presented, Dantrell took the stage again, this time as a speaker.

"Good evening," he began in a strong, confident voice. Danny squeezed Maddie's hand proudly, and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I have been elected to give the farewell address on behalf of the class of 2005, so this is the last speech you'll have to sit through tonight. I'll try and make it as painless as possible." The crowd chuckled appreciatively and Dantrell continued, "There are a few people we'd like to thank before leave here for the last time, starting with our principal, Mr. Freeman. He has been a great source of motivation for us, mostly by listening patiently to our problems then telling us to take some initiative and fix them ourselves."

The crowd obliged and laughed again. Dantrell continued his thank-yous, mentioning staff members, parents, and coaches. Then he came to Maddie.

"There is one special teacher we would like to thank. This year was her first here at Eastside High, but she jumped in as though she'd lived here all her life. She came to our games, our concerts, and our plays to cheer us on, and was always around when we needed extra help with our school work. It didn't have to be science, and you didn't even have to be in her class, but if were willing to put in the time, so was she. She was there when we needed her outside of school, too—if we called her for help, she _always_ came. So to Miss Madeline Parrish, the class of 2005 sends our deepest appreciation."

Danny was grinning proudly, squeezing her hand again as he kissed her cheek and whispered, "Way to go, Madeline…"

Maddie smiled at him, delighted by both the heartfelt speech and the sound of her name as it rolled off his tongue in that heavy New York accent.

Dantrell continued. "And last, but certainly not least, we would like to acknowledge a group of police officers who supported us and encouraged us to study hard and to become something. They believed in us despite our backgrounds and circumstances, and provided us with many opportunities to see and do things we wouldn't otherwise have been able to see or do. One officer in particular made himself available to us, brining in lab supplies, spending time with us in and out of the classroom, and showing most of us a side of the police we wouldn't have known existed. To the New York City Police Department's Crime Lab, and to Detective Daniel Messer in particular, we offer our sincerest gratitude."

Maddie giggled quietly, and squeezed Danny's hand as she kissed his cheek. "Way to go, Daniel…"

He looked over at her and laughed, surprised to be mentioned in Dantrell's speech and marveling at how sexy a Midwestern accent had become to him.

The students stood and applauded the audience, which in turn, stood and applauded the graduates, long and loudly. Principal Freeman came to the podium after a few minutes to close the ceremony, and the class of 2005 tossed their caps into the air in celebration. The band began to play something up tempo, and the newly minted graduates left the field, hurrying to find friends and family.

Danny was beginning to feel the effects of the energy he had expended that day so soon after being released from the hospital, but insisted on mingling with the kids. It wasn't long before they found Dantrell with his grandmother and sister.

He saw Danny first. "Detective Messer! You're out of the hospital!" the boy cried, flinging his arms around the older man.

Danny was taken by surprise, but reacted swiftly, patting Dantrell on the back. "Woah! I don't know what Miss Parrish told you, but I'm gonna be okay," he joked.

Dantrell released him, chagrined. "Sorry. I just didn't expect you to be here, that's all."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Danny replied. "Congratulations."

Dantrell blushed slightly and smiled. "Thanks," he said, shaking hands with Danny. Then he slid his arms around Maddie in a gentle hug. "And thank you, Miss Parrish," he told her. "I wouldn't have made it without you…"

"I'm so proud of you," she said, squeezing him tightly. "You did it, kiddo."

He blushed a little more as he pulled away. "Gran and Trina are taking me out to dinner to celebrate…will you guys come too?"

Maddie glanced over at Danny and read his face. He wanted to go, but she could see how tired he was. "Wish we could, but I gotta get the detective home…"

Dantrell smiled understandingly. "But you're still comin' to the party next week, right?"

"You better believe it."

Hugs were exchanged again and good-byes were said. Dantrell led his grandmother and sister further into the crowd, while Maddie and Danny began making their way to the parking lot. They stopped and chatted with a few of her other students, offering more hugs and congratulations, but eventually reached Maddie's car.

She drove to his apartment, watching him struggle to stay alert from the corner of her eye. He really shouldn't have been so active his first day out of the hospital, but she knew he had come for her and for her students, and she loved him for it.

When they arrived at his place she took his good arm and walked him upstairs.

"Home sweet home," she smiled as Danny looked around.

"It feels like I've been gone for months," he said. "I was only here for a few minutes this afternoon…"

"Well why don't you sit down and reacquaint yourself with your furniture. I'll fix something to eat. You hungry?" she asked on her way to the kitchen.

"Starved," he smiled.

"What sounds good?"

"Anything that isn't hospital food."

She rummaged around in the cupboards, but found little to work with. "All you have is cereal, Danny," she smiled. "You want Lucky Charms or Cocoa Puffs?"

"Lucky Charms," he called from the living room. "The leprechaun makes me feel taller…"

Maddie laughed hard at that, but somehow managed to bring two bowls of cereal in without spilling them. Danny flipped on the TV as she sat down beside him, surfing through the channels until he found a baseball game.

"Baseball, cereal, and my girl," he grinned. "Life is good."

She leaned over and kissed him between mouthfuls, tasting the sweetness of the cereal on his tongue. "Life is very good."

They ate and watched the game, talking and laughing and teasing each other, enjoying being together again. Toward the middle of the game, though, she noticed his eyelids getting heavy again and that he was struggling to stay awake. She slid an arm carefully around his shoulders and pulled them toward her, kissing him gently on the cheek. He shifted positions a little and allowed his head to rest against her, a small smile forming on his lips as he lost the battle and drifted off to sleep.

When Danny awoke, it was dark out and he wasn't sure where he was for a moment. He heard quiet breathing next to his ear and felt someone's arms around him. He smiled, the memory of falling asleep on the couch with Maddie coming back to him. He felt a wave of happiness wash over him—the way she held him, one arm draped protectively over his injured shoulder, the other hand resting on his chest, felt good. He turned his head slightly and nuzzled her neck, his smile growing when her arms tightened around him in response.

"I love you," he whispered.

She smiled in her sleep, and that was all the answer he needed.


	17. First Dates

Danny wandered through the lab in street clothes, cursing the blue sling that still held his right arm against his body and wishing he could come back to work.

"What are you doing here?" a stern female voice asked from behind him. He turned around to see Stella trying to frown at him but not quite succeeding. "You're supposed to be at home resting."

"Stella," he smiled. "When have you ever known me to do as I'm told?"

She laughed and rubbed his good shoulder affectionately. "Well, don't let Mac catch you…"

"Relax," he told her. "I'm only here to grab something from my locker, I swear." She gave him her best "oh, really" look, and he broke. "Okay, I was goin' crazy at home, and Maddie's teachin' summer school, so I came in for a visit. I really do need to get a shirt from my locker, though…"

She laughed again. "That's your story and you're stickin' to it."

He grinned mischievously. "Yup."

They walked along together into a relatively empty room where Stella began to prepare slides of a sample to examine under a microscope. Danny stood and watched her for a moment before speaking again.

"Hey Stella, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure Danny," she replied peering into the microscope. "What's on your mind?"

"What was the best date you ever went on?"

Stella straightened up and looked at her colleague. "Where did that come from?"

"I'm taking Maddie out Friday night…"

She could see the color rising in his cheeks and grinned. "And you need some ideas."

He nodded slowly, trying not to look as embarrassed as he felt. "It's our first official date, and I want to do something special…"

Stella fought the urge to tease him, seeing the serious look in his eyes. "Well, let's see…oh, I know," she smiled, her face lighting up with the memory. "Joe Avery. We got take-out from this wonderful little Chinese place and slow-danced in his living room."

"Really?" Danny asked skeptically. "That's your favorite date?"

She smiled dreamily, her gaze drifting to an empty wall as she watched the scene play out in her mind's eye. "It's cheesy, I know, and kinda lame, but…it was perfect." She shook herself and looked over at Danny. "That help?"

"Yeah, thanks," he smiled.

"Good, 'cause I got work to do," she winked.

He chuckled and bid her farewell, heading out into the main part of the lab again where he ran into Aiden.

"Danny!" she almost squealed, trying to be gentle as she captured him in a bear hug.

"Aid, Aid, take it easy," he grinned. "You're actin' like I rose from the dead."

She released him, a chagrined expression on her face. "Sorry…I was just excited to see you up and around."

"Well it's good to be up and around," he agreed. "How're things goin' around here?"

"It's been pretty quiet," she began.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. No one's stealing lab supplies for a high school, or flirting with a science teacher while on duty, or settin' the lab on fire…"

"Wait a minute," he interrupted. "I never set the lab on fire!"

"Not yet," she teased. "So whataya doin' here, anyway? Aren't you supposed to be on leave?"

He nodded. "I am, I just left something in my locker that I need for Friday, so I thought I'd come get it."

"What's Friday?"

The pink crept back into his cheeks and he smiled shyly. "I'm taking Maddie out…"

"Ah, first date," Aiden replied with a smirk, resuming her walk down the hall. "Where ya goin'?"

Danny frowned, keeping pace with her as she moved. "I dunno. It's a big deal, ya know? It has to be just right. Any ideas?"

"Well, there's always the usual—dinner at a nice restaurant, a show, a movie…"

He shook his head his head at the suggestions. "No…too ordinary. Everybody does that. What's the best date you've ever been on?"

She thought for a minute, then her lips curved into sly a smile. "Tommy Montoya. We ate pizza on the roof of his apartment building, lookin' out over the city…it was really romantic."

"Does Don know about that?" he teased.

Aiden elbowed him in the side. "My first date with him would have been the best one, except _someone_ went and got himself shot…"

Danny laughed. "And you know I did that on purpose."

She stopped walking when she reached her destination and turned toward him. "This is my stop…"

"And you have work to do," he told her.

"Yeah." She hugged him again. "Don't worry too much about your date…Maddie will still love you even if you screw it up royally."

"Thanks," he smirked.

Danny headed toward the locker room, figuring he probably ought to get the shirt he came for before he forgot it. Halfway there he heard someone call his name. Turning around, he discovered it was Don.

"Hey man, what're you doin' here?" he was asking.

Danny smiled, wondering how many more times he'd have to answer that question. "Left somethin' in my locker," he explained.

Don nodded. "The shirt you need for your big date."

"You talked to Aiden already…"

"Just for a second, but yeah. And Stella. They mentioned your plans with Maddie on Friday."

Danny sighed. "If I can figure out what the hell we're gonna do."

"Best thing I can tell ya is to relax," Don advised. "I went crazy trying to get reservations at that snobby restaurant we went to and it backfired. We had a miserable time, left early…then you got shot…"

Danny rolled his eyes. "Seems I've heard that once already today," he informed his friend.

"Sorry," Don smiled. "My point is, that the time we spent walkin' around and at the Empire State Building were the best parts of the night, and they weren't fancy or elaborate or even planned."

"That's true," Danny agreed. "And Maddie's taste is pretty simple…"

"'Cept in men," Don quipped. "I'll never understand what she sees in you."

Danny laughed. "As long as _she_ sees it, I don't care."

"Well, say hi to her for me," Don replied. "Duty calls…"

The two friends parted ways, and Danny finally made it to the locker room. He found his locker quickly and pulled open the door, looking for his favorite button-down shirt. He spied it immediately and grabbed for it, hearing a voice behind him.

"Detective Messer!"

He whirled around, ready to explain himself yet again to whomever questioned his presence, but the words died on his lips. "Mac…"

Mac saw the startled expression on Danny's face and smiled good-naturedly. "How's the shoulder?" he asked innocently.

Danny grinned. "Gettin' better."

"Good," Mac replied. He gestured toward Danny's open locker. "You're not planning on working, are you?"

Danny shook his head vigorously. "No, I know better than that. I just needed to get something from my locker…"

Mac smiled again. "For the big date on Friday."

"Ya know, for people who deal with confidential information every day, we really suck at keeping secrets," Danny frowned.

Mac laughed. "News certainly does travel fast around here."

The two were quiet for a moment before Danny broke the silence. "Hey Mac, do you remember your first date with Claire?"

A soft smile spread over Mac's face and his eyes took on a distant look as his mind traveled back over the years. "I'll never forget it. I wore the only suit I had, hoping to impress her," he chuckled. "I had a new shirt on, my best tie, the whole nine yards."

"Where did you end up going?" Danny asked.

Mac chuckled again. "We went to the movies."

"In your suit?"

"Yep," Mac nodded. "Her favorite movie was playing at a theater close by, and it happened to be my favorite movie, too. So we went, just on the spur of the moment, even though I was all dressed up." His lips curved into a smile and his eyes crinkled up as he continued to remember. "I was so nervous I kept playing with my tie during the movie and it was driving her crazy. She just took my hand in hers and held it for the rest of the night…"

Danny smiled as Mac's voice trailed off. "Sounds like a nice evening."

"It was," Mac agreed. "And it didn't matter what either of us was wearing or where we went…it was nice to just be together." He sighed and brought himself back to the present. "So what's on tap for Friday?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I'm startin' to get some ideas," Danny grinned.

"Well, whatever you do, enjoy yourselves. And give Maddie my best," Mac added, patting Danny on the shoulder as he turned to leave.

"I will," Danny promised. He grabbed the shirt from his locker and pushed the door shut with his elbow, cursing the blue sling again as he made his way back to the parking lot. He climbed into the car and fumbled with the keys as he tried to turn the ignition with his left hand. He drove back to Maddie's apartment, knowing she should be home from teaching summer school by now, and wondering what they could do on Friday. Along the way he passed a street vendor who was hocking tiny plastic versions of the Empire State Building, and Danny winced, remembering the last time he'd been up there. It had not gone well, but perhaps he was being given a second chance. "Now that's an idea…"


	18. The Big Friday

Maddie arrived home Friday afternoon to a note taped to her door alongside a red rose.

_Hey Sweetheart,_

_Welcome home! Just thought I'd leave a beautiful rose for a beautiful woman. I'll be by to pick you up at 7:00, and I can't wait to see you…_

_Love,_

_Danny_

She smiled as she slid her key into the lock and pushed open the door, dragging her school bag inside with her. On the floor in the entryway she found another note lying beside another red rose.

_Me again…guess it's time to get you a better lock. Hurry up and get changed, I'll be here soon! Don't worry about finding something fancy, just wear something comfortable—you look great in everything._

"He picked my lock?" She was grinning now, picking up the second note and rose to put them with the first. She hauled her school bag into the living room and dropped it into its usual place beside her desk, where she found yet another note and rose.

_Schoolwork? Really? Come on, I'm dying to take you out tonight, to touch you, to kiss you, to hold you in my arms (okay, _arm_, but that's only temporary)…schoolwork can wait!_

Maddie giggled. "What a corn-ball," she said out loud, picking up the note and rose and adding it to her collection. As she moved about the apartment putting things away and getting ready for her date with Danny, she found three more red roses with accompanying notes, all urging her to focus on that evening.

At seven o'clock sharp there was a knock on her door.

She smiled broadly as she answered it. "What? No lock-picking this time?"

Danny grinned sheepishly. "I was bored," he explained.

"We have got to get you a hobby," Maddie laughed.

He stepped into the entryway and closed the door behind him, kissing her softly. He presented her with six more roses to complete the set and waited patiently while she searched her kitchen for a vase to put them in.

When the flowers were taken care of, Maddie grabbed her keys and allowed Danny to escort her down to his car. They drove through the city, down streets she had never heard of before, and within five minutes she was lost.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

He winked. "It's a surprise."

"You're not taking me out to the Staten Island Monastery, are you?" she grinned.

"No," he laughed. "I've got something a little nicer in mind."

When they finally entered a part of town Maddie recognized, she realized they were very near Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan. She smiled as he trolled the streets for a parking spot, remembering the day they had come here on their sight-seeing tour. They had leaned against the railing along the promenade and looked out over the water, talking about sports and school and the latest techniques in DNA processing.

She giggled as Danny found a place to park and pulled into it.

"What's so funny?" he asked her.

"I was just thinking 'bout the last time we were here," she told him. "We were looking out at Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty…"

He smiled broadly. "…talking about STR polymorphisms…"

She laughed again. "…and that one couple kept looking at us like we were from Mars."

He laughed and took her hand in his good one, leading her down the street and into the park. "Well, let's see if we can't annoy someone else today." He steered her toward a particular spot in the park where a blanket lay on the grass, complete with picnic basket and candlesticks. "I don't think we're going to need the candles," he frowned, looking up into the still-bright sky.

"What a great thought, though," she smiled, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "A candlelight picnic…how sweet!"

Danny nodded discreetly at the uniformed officer who had been keeping an eye on the spread, and he and Maddie made themselves comfortable on the blanket.

"Take a look in the basket," he instructed.

"You didn't cook, did you?"

He laughed. "I want this to be a memorable night, but not because of a trip to the hospital."

She lifted the lid on the basket and breathed in the aroma of garlic and cream sauce. "Mmmm…you went to Luigi's…good call."

"It is our favorite place," he reminded her. "And, for desert…" he pulled out a large bag of peanut M&Ms.

She chuckled. "M&Ms?"

"For my Maddie," he blushed.

She laughed delightedly and ran her fingers through his hair. "It's perfect," she replied, leaning in and kissing him tenderly.

He ran his hand over the soft skin of her cheek as she kissed him, sliding it down her neck and across her shoulder. She shivered at the sensation and he pulled back.

"What was that?" he asked, amused.

"What was what?" she returned.

"That little shiver…it's not the first time you've done that…"

She smiled a little self-consciously and picked up his free hand. "You have strong, heavy hands," she explained to him, kissing his palm. "But you have such a light touch…I suppose it's because of your job, having to handle delicate evidence. But wherever it comes from, the way you touch me…it makes me shiver every time."

"I do handle delicate evidence, but it isn't my job that makes me touch you the way I do."

He traced a finger over the scar on her neck and kissed it softly, letting his hand slip down to the small of her back. Her arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders and she pulled him to her, feeling her breath quicken as his lips moved across her skin. When his mouth returned to hers she pulled away gently.

"Not in the middle of Battery Park," she grinned slyly.

"Then let's go home," he suggested quickly.

Maddie laughed. "We've had this discussion before. You and I are not going to be together until that shoulder of yours is healed—I don't want to hurt you."

Danny cursed the blue sling under his breath. "I know, I know."

She smiled at him, the smile that only he seemed to be able to coax from her lips. "It'll be worth the wait, I promise."

"Well, when you put it that way…" he laughed.

They ate happily, enjoying the view and the food, punctuating the evening with light kisses and caresses. When they'd had their fill they sat together, arms around each other, and watched the sun set over the harbor, sometimes talking quietly, sometimes simply relishing the chance to spend time alone together.

Shortly after darkness fell, though, Danny began packing up the remains of their picnic and insisted that it was time to leave.

"So soon? Come on, Danny, let's stay a little longer…"

He shook his head adamantly. "Nope. There's one more stop we have to make."

Maddie raised an eyebrow at him. "Where?"

He grinned. "This one's a surprise, too."

She sighed with mock annoyance and helped him gather their things, carrying them back to the car. A few more minutes driving around brought them to their second destination of the night.

"The Empire State Building?" Maddie smiled.

"Things didn't go exactly the way they were supposed to the last time we were here," Danny reminded her as they rode up in the elevator. When the doors opened at the observation deck the pair stepped out into the cool night air and looked out at the brightly lit buildings. She took his arm as they strolled around, much the same way they had the first time they had been here.

"Looks like we both got our wishes," she said as they walked.

"What do you mean?"

"The last time you told me I should be up here on a real date," she smiled. "And now I am."

He returned her smile. "What was your wish?"

"To be with you."

He slid a finger under her chin, leaning in slowly for a soft, deep kiss. When they drew apart, he was grinning. "Now that's how it was _supposed_ to go."

She laughed and kissed him again before an employee came by, making his last rounds of the night.

"Last call, folks," he called. "It's closing time…"

Danny looked down into Maddie's bright blue eyes. "I love you," he whispered, undeterred by the employee this time around.

She smiled broadly. "I love you, too."

He glanced over at the employee, who was still trying to round up tourists. "I guess we should get going."

"Yeah, I guess we should. But we're not stopping any robberies on the way home this time," she replied.

"Maybe just a mugging…"

"No more injuries until the old one heals," she insisted with a twinkle in her eye.

"Not even a pickpocket?"

Maddie laughed. "Not even a pickpocket. In fact, _I'm_ going to protect _you_ tonight."

"Yeah? How?"

"By taking your keys and driving you home. Do you know what a bad driver you are with your arm in a sling?" she teased.

He slid his good arm around her and pulled her close as they walked to the elevator for the trip back to street-level. "'Bout as bad as you are with two hands…"

When they reached Maddie's apartment Danny saw her safely to her door, kissing her goodnight in the hallway.

"It's not that late yet," Maddie told him. "You wanna come in for a while?"

Danny shook his head. "If I come in I won't want to leave."

She took his hand and led him through the door and into the entryway. "Well, just stay here for a minute, then. I have something for you." She disappeared into the kitchen and rummaged around for a moment before returning with a key.

"What's this for?"

She grinned. "So you don't have to pick my lock anymore."

"This is a key to your apartment?" he asked, surprised.

She nodded. "You're here often enough, some of your stuff has found its way over here…you've even spent the night a few times, and in a few weeks when that shoulder heals, I'm hoping you'll spend the night a lot more."

He grinned at that. "Great minds think alike, and in more ways than one." He slid his hand into his pocket and pulled it out quickly. "I have a key to my place for you."

She smiled merrily, and couldn't resist the opportunity to tease him. "This is a big step, slugger, exchanging keys. You sure you're ready for this?"

He paused for a moment, realizing he should have been feeling nervous or anxious or even downright scared. But he felt none of those things.

He leaned down and kissed her, eyes twinkling. "You better believe it."


	19. Together

"I'd like to propose a toast," Danny informed the little group, raising his beer bottle with a sling-free right arm. "To the end of summer school," he said, smiling at Maddie.

Glasses and bottles clinked together as the little group sat at their usual table at Charlie's, celebrating. "To the end of summer school!" everyone agreed.

Maddie raised her own bottle and winked at Danny. "To the return to active duty," she grinned, "even if it is limited to the lab."

Seven other people chuckled and repeated the toast, thrilled to have their friend back at work.

"To Sheldon," Don piped up next, grinning at the doctor and the young woman sitting beside him, "who finally brought a date!"

Sheldon blushed slightly and laughed. "You promised to behave yourself if Sarah came tonight," he protested.

Don chuckled. "That was Danny. No one ever said I had to be good."

Aiden smacked her boyfriend on the arm. "Leave him alone," she instructed, "or you'll be leaving _here_ alone."

Mac leaned back in his chair and smiled. "We know who wears the pants in that relationship."

"Let's hit the pool table," Stella suggested. "Aiden, can Don come out and play?"

"Ha ha," the young detective replied, pushing back his chair and walking over to the pool table. "Bring it on Bonasera."

Stella bounced up and grabbed a cue stick, waiving Sheldon and Sarah to join her. Danny and Mac made their way to the dart board, spawning the obligatory don't-give-them-sharp-objects jokes.

That left Maddie and Aiden to fetch the next round of drinks. They leaned against the bar, watching the rest of their group compete against one another as the bartender filled their order.

"So how is Danny's shoulder really?" Aiden asked.

"Well, he's not in pain anymore, and the artery that was torn by the bullet seems to be holding together relatively well," Maddie responded. "He hasn't got much strength in his arm and the joint's still pretty stiff, but the physical therapy will take care of that."

Aiden nodded, her eyes wandering out over the bar to her friend. "That sounds encouraging."

Maddie nodded. "He'll be okay, Aiden…back to his old self again in no time."

"It was just such a close call…I'm still worried about him."

"Well, it's a good thing he has us, then, right?" Maddie smiled. "I'll look after him at home and you can keep an eye on him at work."

Aiden frowned, but agreed. "Yeah, we'll take care of him," she said.

Maddie heard the flat tone of her voice and wondered if there was something Aiden wasn't telling her. "You okay?"

Aiden nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You're sure?"

Aiden nodded again and forced a smile. "I'm sure."

The drinks arrived and Maddie decided to change the subject. "So how are you and Don doin'?" she asked as they carried the trays back to the table.

That brought a genuine smile to Aiden's lips. "We're good."

"Things are getting serious between you two, aren't they?"

"Yeah," Aiden said, grinning. "We've been talkin' a little bit about movin' in together, actually."

"Really? That's great! Congratulations!"

The two women laughed as Maddie hugged Aiden, and the little spectacle drew the attention of the four playing pool.

"What's going on over there?" Don called, abandoning the game and walking over. He wrapped his arms around Aiden and nibbled her neck playfully. "I'm the only one who gets to hold this beautiful woman…"

Aiden giggled and ran her hands through Don's hair, bringing his lips to hers in a warm kiss.

"We should probably get outta here," he breathed as he pulled back.

"One more drink…" she teased.

Don called them all back to the table, trying to contain his eagerness. "Come on guys, one more before we hit the road."

"I can't believe you're leaving already," Danny complained. "We haven't even made it through the second round of drinks yet."

"This was a pretty spur-of-the-moment thing, remember," Aiden reminded him.

"On a Friday night," Sheldon chimed in.

"People have plans," Maddie added. "You and I will just have to celebrate our freedoms alone tonight."

"Well, when you put it that way…" Danny grinned.

The little group laughed and Sarah raised her bottle.

"Before we go our separate ways, I'd like to propose a toast," she said. "This evening has started out well—let's hope it ends even better. To tonight!"

"Here here!" they all agreed.

Maddie sat on Danny's lap and looked around the table at the people who had become her friends. They were celebrating together as a group, but they were also together in couples, a phenomenon that had only evolved after she'd met them. Sheldon was still the intelligent, sweet doctor who had made her giggle so girlishly the night they had all played "I Never". It was Sarah who was giggling girlishly now as he helped her from her chair and walked her out, pulling a delicate lavender orchid from his sport coat pocket and kissing her cheek. Aiden was still fiery and quick-witted, full of passion not only for her work now, but for Don as well. The pair stood shortly after Sheldon and Sarah and made their way to the door, arms wrapped around each other, gazes locked, trying to figure out whose apartment was closer so as not to keep themselves under control a second longer than necessary.

Mac rose from the table next, still the kind-hearted soul who first let Maddie into the interrogation room with one of her students, still stoic about his own life. He wasn't officially with anyone, but when he offered to walk Stella to her car Maddie thought she caught something in the tone of his voice, the look in his eyes. He headed with his partner toward the door, waiting until they were out of earshot before leaning just slightly closer to speak to her. _Meet me at the theater in fifteen minutes…_

"Guess that leaves you'n me," Danny said, running his hand over her back.

"All alone," she added. "What are we going to do with ourselves?"

He smiled crookedly. "I have an idea…"

She grinned mischievously. "You've had that idea for six weeks."

"Then why wait any longer?"

She laughed out loud but didn't protest as he sprang from his chair and hurried her out to the car.

When they arrived at Danny's apartment, they wandered into the living room and Maddie spotted a new item perched on the bookshelf.

"I remember this," she smiled warmly, picking the picture up for a closer look. It was a shot of her and Danny standing among a group of her students at school during one of his visits. The kids were all mugging for the camera and Maddie was laughing at them, leaning ever so slightly against a grinning Danny as he rested his arm around her shoulders.

He stood behind her, sliding his arms around her waist and peering at the picture over her shoulder. "Ah, yes, the infamous marshmallow-bunny-in-a-vacuum-chamber day," he chuckled. "Who knew the thing would explode if you pumped all the air out?"

"Well, we did," she reminded him with a smirk. "But it was a good lesson in the importance of atmospheric pressure."

He looked at the picture again and smiled gently. "I loved you then," he told her. "I didn't know it…I couldn't have…I didn't know what real love was until you showed me." He nuzzled her cheek and tightened his arms around her, taking a moment to choose the right words. "No one else on earth has ever made me feel the way you do," he whispered.

Maddie replaced the picture on the bookshelf and wrapped her arms around Danny's, leaning back against him and smiling softly. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," she said quietly. "I know that there are still times you don't think you're good enough for me, Danny, but every time I look at you I thank God we're together."

He buried his face in her shoulder and she turned in his arms, running her hand through his hair and along the back of his neck. He lifted his face and his lips met hers in a sweet kiss, breaking away after a moment and trailing more kisses across her cheek and down her neck. He paused when he reached the scar from the attack at Eastside High, noticing how it had faded, had barely become visible to most people. Danny knew he would always see it, always feel the fear that had gripped him as he waited helplessly in the parking lot, then the rush of exhilaration at the knowledge that she was alive…and his.

He kissed the scar tenderly, caressing her body as he made his way back to her mouth. She shivered at his touch and he nibbled on her lower lip, grinning when she nibbled playfully back.

"I am the luckiest man in the world," he breathed.

She smiled impishly and began unbuttoning his shirt. "And you're about to get luckier…"

"Life is good," he grinned, leaning in for another kiss.

His hands found their way into her hair, pulling out the clip she wore and threading through the soft brown curls as they cascaded over her shoulders. She moaned softly against his mouth, opening the last button and pushing the shirt off his body as he pulled her closer. Her arms went around his broad shoulders, sliding over his muscular arms and feeling the heat emanating from his skin as they began to move slowly toward the bedroom.

They broke apart in the hallway to pull Maddie's shirt up over her head, and Danny's hands were immediately drawn her exposed midsection, caressing her strong, soft body as they looked into each other's eyes.

He smiled uncertainly and took a breath, massaging the small of her back gently.

"Nervous?" she asked.

He nodded. "It's not that I don't want to do this…I _definitely_ want to do this…I just want it to be right…I love you so much…"

"You know how much I love you," she replied softly. "And I'm a little nervous too…it feels like the first time again..."

He smiled at that. "It's our first time."

She leaned up and nibbled on his ear, where she knew he was a bit ticklish. Right on cue he grinned and squirmed a little, gripping her waist tightly and leaning against the wall.

She laughed mischievously and whispered, "Then let's have some fun."

"You got it, babe."

He covered her mouth with his, kissing her passionately while his hands traveled over her body, touching her in all the right ways. She shivered again and they shared a grin, disappearing into the bedroom.


	20. In the Middle of the Night

Maddie lay in bed sleeping peacefully, her back against Danny's chest, his arm wrapped securely around her. His sleep, though, was anything but peaceful.

_Danny is standing in the middle of an open field facing two men. He knows he is in danger, but so far there is nothing more threatening than an uneasy calm between them. Words are exchanged and the two men suddenly draw weapons, pointing them directly at Danny._

He twitched in his sleep, eyelids fluttering as he unconsciously recognized the dream. This was a different version with slightly different events, but the essence of it remained the same.

_He reaches for his own gun, but finds the holster on his hip empty. He freezes momentarily, but the first bullet whizzing past his head shakes his mind free and he runs for his life across the field._

His movements became more pronounced as his brain commanded his limbs to run, but didn't quite succeed in making them do so.

_The two men chase after him, slowed only by their steady attempts to shoot him. Danny runs faster, believing he is pulling away from his pursuers, that he is going to escape them, but when he reaches the end of the field he finds it surrounded by an electrified fence. If he tries to climb the fence he'll be electrocuted, but if he doesn't the two men will kill him_

Danny was almost thrashing now, desperate to get away from the attackers in his mind. Beads of sweat formed on his skin and he clawed at the sheets. Maddie was beginning to become aware of his turmoil, not yet awake but no longer completely asleep.

_He wracks his brain for a way out, desperate to save his life, but nothing comes to him. The two men catch up with him and have him cornered, drawing their weapons and grinning victoriously…_

_Bang!_ Danny sat bolt upright in bed in a cold sweat, eyes wide, heart racing, and breath coming in ragged gasps. He tried to untangle himself from the sheets, but his hands were shaking so badly he couldn't get a good grip. Resigned to his position, he pulled his knees up to his chest and buried his head in his arms, trying to regain his composure.

Lying beside him, Maddie felt his sudden jolt and awoke. "Danny? You okay?" she asked sleepily.

So accustomed was he to dealing with the nightmare alone that he didn't hear her. She sat up and slid her arm around his bare back, kissing his shoulder and calling his name again.

"Danny?"

He recoiled, startled by her presence, but recovered quickly. "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to wake you up."

She noted his irregular breathing as she brushed a hand over his damp, pale face. "It's okay…what happened? What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nothin's wrong. I'm fine."

"Something's not right," she told him, a smile forming on her lips. "You're not supposed to be sweating and panting without me."

He smiled crookedly despite the residual fear still coursing through his veins. "Never again will I sweat and pant without you. We're too good together."

"I'll second _that_ emotion," she grinned.

He shook his head again, trying to clear the images of the nightmare from his mind's eye. "It was just a bad dream, that's all. I just need a minute to calm down."

"You wanna talk about it?"

He started to shake his head yet again and brush her off, but then changed his mind. "I've had this one before," he began. "Or the same type of dream, anyway. Someone's always chasing me with a gun, and just when I think I'm gonna get away, I end up cornered in some situation with no way out."

She rubbed his back gently but didn't reply, letting him talk it out in the comfort of her embrace. He leaned his head against hers, taking her hand and holding onto it tightly. He was still breathing rapidly, but was no longer gasping, and the shaking of his hands began to subside as he allowed himself to relax into her.

"I've been having dreams like that since I was a kid," he told her quietly. "And every time, I wake up sweating and I can't breathe. I can't figure out why I have 'em, and I can't make 'em stop."

"C'mere," she instructed, wrapping his arm around her and pulling him back down on the bed. Resting her head against his shoulder, her arms went around him and she held him securely. "We're in this together, you and me," she assured him. "No matter what happens in life or in your dreams, I'll be right here with you."

His hand moved slowly over the smooth skin of her back and shoulders, holding her the way a child clutches a teddy bear—seeking solace and protection from the most precious thing in life. The terror of the nightmare began to fade into the smell of her hair, the warmth of her body, the strength of her love.

His fingers moved from her shoulders through her long hair, contentment gradually replacing the panic written on his features.

"I've never told anyone that before," he confessed.

She looked up at him. "Not even when you were little?"

"Not even then. There wasn't anyone I could trust enough to tell."

"But you're telling me now."

He nodded, continuing to gently play with her hair. "I am."

She smiled softly. "I'm glad you did."

"Me too," he replied, a little surprised at himself.

He leaned down and kissed her warmly, thanking her without words, the way he often did. She grinned at him sleepily, leaving a kiss on his scarred shoulder before turning over. Without missing a beat he shifted to his side and wrapped an arm around her as though they'd done it a million times before, and together they slowly drifted back to sleep.

_Danny is standing in the field again, facing the same two armed men in the same eerie calm. Within moments they draw their weapons, pointing them directly at Danny._

Unconsciously, his heart rate rose and his breathing became shallower in anticipation of what he knew was coming.

_He reaches for his gun, but finds the holster on his hip is empty yet again. He freezes for a split second, but the sound of the first shot snaps him out of his funk and he begins to run across the field._

He moved a little as he slept, not quite tossing and turning, but becoming more active as the dream progressed.

_The two men pursue him, slowing only to fire at him as they run. Danny begins to pull away, noticing that the shots are becoming more erratic and further apart. He begins to think he will escape, that this time he'll make it out of the field. Before the thought even fully emerges in his mind, though, he spots the electrified fence and a wave of defeat washes over him._

His heart was pounding now and he began shaking, knowing what was about to happen.

_He slows to a jog, the two armed men still several yards behind, and eyes the fence. His mind races, trying frantically to find a way out. He knows there isn't one, but his self-preservation instincts kick in and he wheels around, examining the fence from every angle. Something is different this time…_

Danny pulled his arm tightly around Maddie as the scene played out in his mind's eye.

_Positioned near the fence is a group of people wearing body armor and drawing weapons. Maddie stands among them, a determined expression on her face._

"_You're safe now, Danny," she tells him. "You don't have to run anymore."_

_The armored group surrounds him, weapons aimed at the two men still chasing him. The men briefly contemplate a shootout, but quickly realize the odds are not in their favor. When ordered to drop their weapons, both comply, raising their hands in the air and keeping them there until they are placed in handcuffs. They are led away, throwing menacing glances at Danny over their shoulders, but with no real threat to back them up they elicit only satisfied smiles from the group._

Danny's eyes blinked open and he returned to consciousness much more calmly than before. His heart was still beating fast but not pounding, his breaths still coming quickly but with little difficulty. As he became more aware of his surroundings he realized that he and Maddie had shifted positions during his subconscious adventure. He had moved toward the edge of the bed in an effort to flee from his attackers, but she had rolled over and held on, wrapping her arms firmly around him.

He kissed her hair, wondering what he had ever done to deserve her while simultaneously thanking god she was with him. Her lips curved into a small smile at the gesture, something that happened whenever he kissed her sleeping form, but never failed to bring a smile to his own features.

"We're safe together," he whispered in the darkness. "I won't run anymore."


	21. Fancy Duds and Dancing

"Hey babe, can you give me a hand with this zipper?" Maddie asked as she walked into her living room. "I can only get it halfway."

Danny watched her for a moment, a goofy grin spreading over his face. "You look amazing," he told her, sliding his arms around her waist and kissing her.

She smiled brightly when their lips parted, her eyes roving over his tuxedo-clad body. "I'll look even better walking in with you."

His grin returned as he brushed a thumb over her cheek. "We're gonna knock 'em dead."

"But only if you zip me up," she prodded, turning around.

"Actually, we'd probably make a more memorable entrance if I _didn't_ zip you up…" He laughed a little, picturing the scene.

"Danny!"

He snapped back to reality and grabbed the zipper without missing a beat. "Yep, got it."

"Up, Danny…"

"Right."

The zipper went up and Danny's hands slid down the shimmery blue material of the evening gown, resting on Maddie's hips. She turned in his arms, running her hands over his shoulders and kissing him before reaching for the untied bowtie around his neck.

"Now all we gotta do is tie this…"

He squirmed a little like a small child. "You know how much I hate wearing ties."

"Yeah, but this fundraiser is important to the department, and Mac went to all the trouble of getting everyone in the lab tickets. Besides," she smiled slyly, "you look so damn good in a tux."

He chuckled. "That's the second time you've mentioned that."

She finished tying his tie and ran her hands over his chest, leaning up and kissing him with a sly grin. "That's 'cause it's true," she mumbled against his mouth.

His arms tightened around her and he moved in for a second kiss, slow and deep, leaving them both breathless. Maddie finally pulled back, eyes still closed as she took a moment to recover, making Danny laugh.

He planted his lips on hers again. "We're pretty good at that, aren't we?"

She opened her eyes halfway and smiled. "Among other things, yeah." She kissed him once more and patted his chest, opening her eyes the rest of the way. "We should get going or we're gonna be late…"

He sighed dramatically, squeezing her affectionately as he kissed her cheek. "Alright, let's go."

The ballroom the police department had rented for the occasion was decorated elegantly, with a large crystal chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling and a band playing on the stage at one end. Stella and Aiden greeted Danny and Maddie at the door as they arrived, decked out in evening wear of their own.

"Wow," Danny grinned. "You two look great!"

Aiden swished the full skirt of her red halter-topped gown. "We clean up pretty well, don't we?"

"Yeah, not bad for a couple of science geeks," Stella added, smoothing out her purple sleeveless number with hands encased in elbow-length gloves.

Maddie smirked and nudged Danny. "Close your mouth, slugger, before you trip over that jaw."

He blinked—hard—and smiled charmingly at her. "I think I'll go get us something to drink."

"Good idea," she giggled.

He meandered off to the bar, leaving the three women alone. Maddie looked from Aiden to Stella and noticed versions of the same silly grin on both their faces.

"Okay, spill," she declared, meeting Stella's gaze.

"What?" the detective asked innocently.

Maddie chuckled. "I know why Aiden looks like she just won the lottery—he's standing at the bar with Danny. But what's up with you?"

"Come on Stel," Aiden prompted. "You've been walkin' around with that mooney look on your face for a couple of weeks now."

"It's a guy, isn't it?" Maddie asked.

"No, it's not a guy," Stella replied, shaking her head and trying to sound convincing.

"Of course it is," Aiden smiled cheerfully. "Only a new love can bring that look to a woman's face."

The women meandered across the nearly empty dance floor, slowly making their way toward one of the many tables set up on the far side of the room. They sat down, Aiden and Maddie across from Stella, looking expectantly at their friend.

She caved. "Okay, it's a guy."

"I knew it!" Aiden cried.

"Did you bring him tonight?" Maddie asked.

Stella frowned, choosing her words carefully. "He's not really the dancing type," she said.

The two younger women looked at each other and nodded knowingly, having both been required to coddle, cajole, and persuade their men to attend the event.

"Well, tell us about him," Aiden insisted. "Is he cute?"

Stella smiled and nodded, her cheeks taking on a faint shade of pink. "He's taller than me if I don't wear heals, dark brown hair, blue eyes…"

"What does he do for a living?" Aiden asked.

"He's, uh, a scientist…"

Maddie laughed. "Of course he is. It makes perfect sense."

The color in Stella's cheeks deepened a shade as she tried to continue. "He's very sweet, very kind, but not wishy-washy. He can be tough and take charge when he has to…"

"Who's that?" Don asked, arriving at the table with drinks for himself and for Aiden.

"This guy Stella's dating," Aiden answered with a kiss and a smile.

Don raised an eyebrow curiously but didn't get a chance to articulate his thought before Maddie cut in.

"Speaking of dates," she said, "where's mine?"

"He was right behind me…" Don told her.

All eyes drifted over to the corner of the room that had been designated as the bar area. Danny was still standing there, a drink in each hand, talking to a woman in a dress that left little to the imagination. His body language suggested that he was still determined to join his friends, but the expression on the woman's face said that she was equally determined not to let him go.

"Will you excuse me for a minute?" Maddie asked the group with a tight smile, rising from the table and heading over to the bar. Her smile brightened artificially as she approached Danny, taking her drink from him and sliding her arm through his. "Hey babe, we've been waiting for you…"

He returned her smile, looking both guilty and relieved at the same time. "Hey beautiful," he replied, kissing her cheek. "I was on my way over when, uh…" He gestured toward the woman, forgetting her name.

"Desiree," she added helpfully.

Danny nodded. "Right, Desiree…when Desiree tripped walking past me."

Desiree giggled. "I'm such a klutz, but Danny was nice enough to stop and make sure I was okay."

"He's very sweet that way," Maddie managed, keeping a straight face. "In fact, I slipped in the shower the other day and he caught me right before I fell."

Danny took a sip of his drink and nearly choked on it as she spoke, and Desiree's smile suddenly soured.

"H-he caught you in…the shower?"

"Yeah," Maddie continued, "and it's a good thing, too. I coulda cracked my head open on the faucet." She took a drink from her glass and smiled sweetly. "So you ready, hon? Don and Aiden and Stella are all over at the table, and Desiree here seems to be okay…"

Danny tried his best to suppress a grin but didn't quite succeed. "Yeah, I'm ready."

"It was nice to meet you," Maddie told Desiree pleasantly as she and Danny walked away.

When they were a sufficient distance away Danny let loose his laughter. "Slipped in the shower, huh? That was subtle."

"Hey, it wasn't any worse than when you thought that salesman was hitting on me last week. You made a comment in the middle of a crowded store about the birthmark on the inside of my thigh."

He laughed again and took her free hand in his, remembering the moment in question. "I like the birthmark on the inside of your thigh…"

They arrived back at the table where Sheldon and his new flame Sarah had joined the little group.

"I didn't know you had a birthmark on the inside of your thigh," Don grinned as Maddie sat down beside him.

She smiled calmly at Don and swatted Danny without even glancing at him. "Well, now you know."

The table laughed and the band began playing a light, peppy song and people began to dance. Sheldon offered his hand to Sarah who giggled a little when she took it, and the two of them headed toward the dance floor. Don and Aiden followed their lead, finding a place off to the side and wrapping their arms around each other tightly. Danny, insisting his feelings were hurt by Maddie's swipe at him, asked Stella to join him. With a wink she accepted, and they followed the other couples out toward the stage.

That left Maddie all alone at the table, but not for long.

"This seat taken?" a voice asked.

"Hey Mac," she smiled in reply. "There's always room for you."

He pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. "So where's Danny?"

"Dancing with Stella."

"What? He left you all alone?"

She grinned. "I hurt his feelings."

"Ah," Mac nodded. "I see."

"So what about you?" Maddie asked, changing the subject. "How come you're all by yourself tonight?"

"Couldn't find a date," he said, looking past her.

"Really." She paused, taking a sip from her drink and smiling faintly. "Stella was just telling Aiden and me about this guy that she's seeing…"

Mac unconsciously flinched just a bit. "Yeah?"

"Brown-haired blue-eyed scientist…" She let the words hang in the air, and when it was clear he wasn't going to respond she continued. "It's you, isn't it?"

He shook his head uncertainly, but knew Maddie wasn't buying it. "It's me," he said, barely controlling his smile. "We've only been out together a couple of times, and we're taking things slowly, just seeing how it goes…"

She impulsively threw her arms around him and laughed merrily. "I'm so happy for you!"

He hugged her back briefly, then tried to tactfully untangle himself from her. "It's not that big a deal," he tried to tell her.

"Of course it is," she replied, releasing him and lowering her voice a bit. "I know how much you lover her, Mac. And if you'd have seen the look on Stella's face when she was talking about you…well, you'd be excited, too."

"I am excited," he told her, allowing himself to smile a real smile. "But I don't want to get ahead of myself."

"Okay, okay, I'll calm down," Maddie chuckled. "But do me one favor."

"What's that?"

"Make sure you dance with her tonight, even if it's only once."

Mac looked down at the table, his smile growing at the thought of having Stella in his arms. "I'll try."

The dancing couples had finally had enough, returning to the table wearing happy expressions on their faces. Stella noticed Mac and smiled a secret little smile without realizing she was doing it. Maddie forced herself not to giggle giddily, instead grabbing Danny's arm.

"My turn," she smirked, leading him back out to the dance floor.

The band continued to play throughout the evening, and the little group switched off dance partners for most of the night. Mac kept one eye subtly on Stella, and she was constantly glancing over at him, trying to keep that secret little smile off her lips. Finally, though, the fundraiser began winding down, and the band picked one last song to play. Maddie led Danny out to the dance floor, throwing a questioning look Mac's way as the opening strains of Frank Sinatra's _It Could Happen to You_ floated through the room.

Sheldon and Sarah smiled shyly at each other as they found a place on the dance floor. He slid an arm around her waist and clasped her hand in his, pulling her as close to him as he dared in front of all those people. She rested her hand on his shoulder and they fell quickly in rhythm with the music.

_Hide your heart from sight, lock your dreams at night_

_It could happen to you_

_Don't count stars or you might stumble_

_Someone drops a sigh and down you tumble_

Aiden wrapped her arms around Don's neck and laid her head against his chest, sighing happily as he held her close and kissed her neck. His lips made their way softly across her cheek to her lips, and he kissed her deeply, not caring if everyone in the room saw him do it.

_Keep an eye on spring, run when church bells ring_

_It could happen to you_

_All I did was wonder how your arms would be_

_And it happened to me_

Danny's hand rested on the small of Maddie's back, his mouth forming a smile at the lyrics to the song. They moved gently, feeling each other's breath against their skin as they leaned against each other. Maddie marveled at Danny's dancing ability, a skill she would have never thought he possessed, kissing his cheek and murmuring teasing words in his ear.

_Keep an eye on spring, run when church bells ring_

_It could happen to you_

_All I did was wonder how your arms would be_

Stella's fingers brushed lightly across the back of Mac's neck as they danced, eyes focused on each other, hoping not to give away their secret.

"I've been wanting to do this all night," Stella said softly.

Mac tried to keep the elated expression from his features. "Me too."

"We're still on for dinner tomorrow night?"

He nodded. "As long as I get to hold you like this again."

Her cheeks turned pink and she looked away, embarrassed and thrilled at the same time. "I think that can be arranged."

_And it happened to me_

* * *

A/N: I had no idea there was a song out there called _It Could Happen to You_ when I titled my story, so when I found the lyrics to this one by Frank Sinatra I couldn't help but borrow it for the last dance in this section. It just fit so nicely there...

And the mention of Danny (and Maddie) in the shower is a little shout out to my girls in the Lockerroom over at TalkCSI. I haven't been by to visit since school got going again--too many papers to grade already--but I know you're keeping the place warm for me...and steamy, and soapy, and...


	22. Leaving New York

Aiden rose early in the morning as had become her custom the last few weeks, showering and grabbing a cup of coffee before Don's alarm even went off. She had been arriving at work hours before her scheduled start time, always with the story that Don snored so loudly that if she woke up early she couldn't get back to sleep. She consistently delivered her lines with a wink and a smile and people were polite enough to leave it at that, but the smile was always a bit forced and no one believed the explanation.

She peeked in the doorway of the bedroom one more time before leaving, watching her boyfriend sleeping peacefully in their bed. She wondered for the millionth time how she was ever going to tell him, if she was going to break his heart, and concluded that she probably would, but knew she had no choice. She frowned and shook herself, heading out the door and off to work.

When she arrived at the lab she caught sight of Danny pulling his lab coat off and exchanging it for his suit jacket.

"Where are you goin'?" she asked.

He smiled broadly. "B & E in the Bronx."

"First day back in the field," Aiden remembered. "You ready for this?"

"I'm more than ready for this. I've been itchin' to get outta the lab for weeks," he reminded her.

She smiled a little. "I know. Just be careful out there, okay?"

"I will," he promised.

She squeezed his shoulder affectionately as he turned and left with a bounce in his step. She watched him disappear through the door, thinking of the last breaking and entering case he had worked. It had been unofficial, of course, but she couldn't get the image out of her mind of Danny lying on the floor of the jewelry store, his life bleeding away from the bullet hole in his shoulder.

She shook herself for the second time that day and tried to banish the thought from her head, but knew it would only be a matter of time before it returned. It always did.

Stella found her a few hours later in the break room.

"Hey Aiden, have you seen Danny?"

"He's out in the Bronx on a B & E," Aiden responded.

Stella frowned. "I tried calling him on his cell but he isn't answering…"

Aiden tried to keep from panicking, knowing it was an overreaction. "Let me try…" She flipped open her phone and dialed the number from memory, hearing ring after ring in her ear before his voicemail picked up. She looked at Stella and shook her head.

"Well, I'll keep trying. He's bound to turn up sometime."

Aiden nodded, but felt the fear invading her consciousness. She knew it was irrational, but so had a lot of her feelings been over the last few weeks. She tried to go back to work, but continued to call Danny's cell every half hour, becoming more and more anxious with each message left. Emotions from his shooting flooded back as she remembered the torment of waiting for him to come out of surgery, wondering if she was losing her friend forever.

She put her head down on the counter, burying her face in her arms as she sat alone in a corner room of the lab. She remembered how scared she had been for Danny, how she hadn't stopped being afraid even after he was released from the hospital, how everyone else seemed to be able to move on. She thought about all the nights she hadn't slept, worried that it would happen again, that she would lose Danny, or Mac or Stella…or Don.

Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she remembered the day she had made her decision. She had been out on a call several weeks after Danny's shooting when a car had backfired. By sheer coincidence, a fly buzzed past her ear at the same moment and she had frozen in terror, sure that someone had taken a shot at her and unable to move to escape any subsequent shots. She had turned in her resignation to Mac that very afternoon, promising to stay until Danny was back to full duty, but making him swear not to tell another soul about it. She wanted to just slip away when the time came, out of their lives as though she was never there, to leave them before they could leave her.

She cried quietly for a few more minutes before picking her head up off the counter, realizing she was still in a building full of people. She made a quick trip to the bathroom to splash some water on her face and pull herself together, then ventured back into her secluded little room to finish writing her final report for her last case.

By the end of the day everything was in order, the last _t_ crossed and the last _i_ dotted. She pulled off her lab coat, running into the locker room to grab her things on the way out. Before she left, though, she decided to stop by Mac's office, where she found him sitting at his desk squinting over his own paperwork.

"Some day you're gonna go blind," she teased gently, entering the office and sitting down across from him.

He looked up and smiled. "I don't doubt it."

There was an awkward silence between them, both knowing why she was there, but neither wanting to talk about it.

Finally, Mac spoke again. "You finished up the report on the Thomas case?"

She nodded. "Yep. Signed, sealed, and delivered to the DA."

They were quiet again for a moment before Mac pressed his lips together. "Aiden, are you sure you want to do this?"

She smiled sadly. "Yeah, Mac, I'm sure."

He nodded, frowning. "You're positive?"

"I don't like it either, but this is something I have to do."

He looked her in they eye, seeing the pain there, the exhaustion, and knew she was right. "All right. But if you ever want to come back, there's a place here for you."

They rose from their chairs and walked toward the office door together.

"Thanks," she said in a low voice, trying to keep her emotions in check. Impulsively, she slid her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you for everything."

He hugged her back, both surprised at and expecting her gesture. "You stay in touch, you here?"

She released him and nodded, trying to hold back her tears. "I will. And you'll explain things to everyone?"

"I'll take care of it." He paused, squeezing her shoulder. "They'll understand, Aiden. They're your friends, and they want what's best for you."

She smiled. "They do." She hugged him again, quickly this time, and hurried out of the office.

Aiden took a deep breath as she climbed into her car and managed to drive herself home, where she gathered her things and called a taxi. Part of her wanted to wait for Don to come home, but he had left her a message that he'd be working later than planned on a new case he'd been given. Not knowing what else to do, she scrounged around the apartment until she found a blank piece of paper and a pen, then sat down to write the most agonizing letter of her life.

_Dear Don,_

_You may not understand why I'm doing this now, when things are going so well between us, but please know that I'm only doing it because I have to. I love you so much…_

By the end of the letter the tears she had shed earlier were back, spilling from her eyes in such numbers that she could hardly see. The taxi arrived in front of the building and blew its horn, and just like that it was time. She folded the letter carefully and printed Don's name on the back, leaving it on the kitchen counter and grabbing her suitcases.

The cabbie helped her with the bags when she arrived downstairs, and she climbed into the back of the car.

"Where to, miss?"

"Penn Station," she replied in a shaky voice.

Halfway to the train station she tapped on the cabbie's shoulder. "I need to make a stop first," she told him, giving him Maddie's address.

They pulled up in front of the building and Aiden hopped out. "If I'm not back in ten minutes, honk the horn," she managed to say. The tears started up again before she even reached the front door, and she could barely get out her name when Maddie answered the buzzer.

Maddie met her at the elevator door. "Aiden! What's wrong?" she asked, pulling her friend toward her in a consoling hug.

"I thought I could do it," Aiden sobbed. "I thought I could leave without saying good-bye, but I can't…"

"Leave? Aiden, where are you going?"

Aiden took a deep breath and pulled back. "I'm leaving the lab, I'm leaving the city, I'm leaving the east coast…" She broke down again, burying her face in Maddie's shoulder, weeping as though her heart was breaking. "I _have_ to go," she continued after a few minutes. "This job is killing me, and I'm dragging down everyone I love with me…"

The anguish in her voice pierced Maddie's heart and she felt tears welling up in her own eyes.

"I wanted to just disappear," Aiden continued. "I thought it was best that way, ya know? But I feel like such a coward…leaving the best friends I ever had…leaving Don…" Her voice caught in her throat as she spoke his name. "He's the One, Maddie. I'm more sure of that than I have ever been of anything else in my life, but I'll destroy him if I stay…and all I could do was leave him a note…I'm such a coward…"

"You are a lot of things, Aiden Burn, but you are _not_ a coward," Maddie told her firmly. "If you feel like you have to leave to save yourself, then that's what you need to do."

Brown eyes met blue ones as Maddie spoke, and Aiden felt a small measure of comfort in her words. The taxi blew it's horn and Aiden looked at her watch.

"I have to go…my train is leaving soon…" She hugged Maddie tightly one more time, sniffling as she tried to calm herself for the ride to the station.

"Promise me you'll keep in touch," Maddie instructed, pushing the elevator button for her friend. "Wherever you go and whatever you do, promise me you won't disappear completely…"

Aiden tried to smile. "I promise," she said softly, wondering if she meant it.

"And if there's anything you need, _ever_…"

Aiden nodded. "Thanks." The elevator car arrived, and she turned and quickly fled, leaving Maddie standing alone in the hallway.


	23. Late

Maddie paced the floor of her living room, waiting anxiously for Danny to arrive. He had called earlier and tried to beg off tonight, having worked an especially long shift that day, but she had insisted that he come over. Since they were both pretty understanding of each other's schedules, her firmness told him something was up, and that it was important.

He finally appeared, using the key she'd given him to unlock the door and let himself in. He sighed tiredly as he pushed the door open, but found himself smiling the instant he laid eyes on her. She was leaning against the window sill wearing a faded pair of blue jeans and a camouflage tank top, her feet bare and her hair pulled into a curly ponytail. To anyone else she may have appeared rather plain, but to Danny she was breathtaking.

He pulled off his suit jacket and left it on the back of the couch as he passed it, walking into the living room and gently sliding his arms around her waist, kissing the scar on her neck. "Hey beautiful…"

She nearly jumped out of her skin. "Oh, Danny! You scared me!" She turned in his arms and gripped his shoulders, trying to steady herself.

"Didn't you hear me come in?" he asked, tightening his arms around her.

Maddie shook her head. "Lost in thought, I guess."

Danny grinned. "Glad to see you found your way back."

She returned his smile and kissed him hello. "Me too."

He kissed her again, longer this time, feeling her relax in his arms. Her fingers played with the hair at the base of his neck and he felt a shiver run through his body. He pulled away and tried to look accusingly at her.

"You always do that to me," he said with mock annoyance.

She laughed a little and kissed him briefly once more, nibbling on his lower lip. "I love that I still have that effect on you."

He brushed a hand over her cheek, tracing a finger down her neck and over her scar. Her breath caught in her throat and his grin returned.

"And I haven't even gotten to any of the fun parts yet," he chuckled.

She laughed a little and pushed him away playfully. "Yeah, yeah, you've made your point."

He grabbed her hands and pulled her against him, leaning in for another kiss. She turned her head but he was undeterred, planting his lips on her jaw, her cheek, and her ear before she reluctantly stopped him. "Danny…"

He kissed her lips one more time. "Okay, okay…"

"How's Don doing?"

Danny shook his head. "He's a mess still. He finally stopped crying at work, but I know he still does at home and he can't spend more than five minutes at a time in the lab. Aiden's leaving really did a number on him."

"It's hard to find out that the person you love most in the world doesn't trust you enough to talk to you," she replied.

"Aiden might not have felt like she had to leave if she'd have been able to talk to someone." He paused, pulling her closer to him and caressing her face. "I'm glad we trust each other…that we can talk to each other…"

"I love you for that, you know."

He smiled, kissing her softly. "I love you, too."

She rested her hands on his chest and took a breath. "So I guess this is where I trust you enough not to freak out at my news."

That got his attention. "Why would I freak out?"

"Just promise me you won't," she repeated. "Please?"

He furrowed his eyebrows. Alright, I'll try not to…"

She looked up into his blue eyes and knew that he'd be there for her no matter what. It was a comforting feeling and made her news a little easier to break. "I'm late," she told him as matter-of-factly as she could.

"Late for what?"

A nervous smile spread over her face. "Why do guys always ask that?"

Danny's eyes widened. "_That_ kinda late…"

"Yeah."

He took a moment to absorb the information, then, like any good investigator, started talking out the situation.

"I thought you were on the patch…"

Maddie nodded. "I am. You wanted to peel it off with your teeth that one time, remember?"

He grinned at the memory. "Oh yeah. But I didn't…"

"No, you didn't," she agreed.

"And you didn't take it off."

She shook her head. "Nope."

"But you're late…"

"Yeah," she said a second time.

"Does that mean…?"

"I don't know yet," she replied. "I wanted you to be here when I took the test. I don't think I can do it alone."

He still wore a surprised expression, but kissed her lightly on the forehead. "You won't have to. Ever."

Maddie smiled gratefully at him, knowing he wasn't ready for a family yet, but loving him so much for his readiness to stand by her anyway. "Thank you," she whispered, sliding her hands down his chest. She slipped into the bathroom, grabbing the home pregnancy test she'd bought off the kitchen counter.

She emerged a minute later carrying the little plastic stick from the test. "Now, we wait," she told him.

"How long?"

"Three minutes."

She set the timer in the kitchen and left the plastic stick on the counter beside it, then settled herself in beside Danny on the couch.

He took her hand and tried to be reassuring. "It's gonna be okay, you know," he told her. "No matter what happens, we'll deal with it. You and I, we're partners."

She rested her head on his shoulder and smiled softly. "Yeah, we are."

They waited out the remaining time in silence, leaning against each other, fingers laced together, minds wandering.

_Ding!_

"Time's up," Maddie said, rising from the couch and walking into the kitchen.

Danny stood as well, but remained in the living room, allowing her to dictate the pace of events for the next few minutes. His eyes followed her into the kitchen, watching her snap off the timer and pick up the pregnancy test stick. He unconsciously held his breath, waiting for a sign.

She studied the box, then shifted her gaze to the plastic stick. When she lifted her eyes to Danny's, he knew.

She smiled weakly. "So what're ya doin' for the next nine months?"

"It's positive," he breathed.

She nodded slowly and looked down at her hands. "I'm pregnant."

They sat together on the couch and talked long into the night, exploring every possible way to handle the situation. As the sun rose over New York City, they decided to mull things over for a few days and make a decision when they were a little less emotional.

* * *

Later that week, Danny found himself calling Maddie a second time to tell her he was working too late to come over. She knew that when he had an especially hard day he would seek her out, needing her love and support to help deal with life. She had felt that need herself, craving his presence to make her world right again, so she waited up for him anyway, parking herself on the couch in front of the television in case he changed his mind.

When her eyes began to close of their own accord she decided to call it a night. She switched off the TV and took a few empty dishes into the kitchen, leaving the light on over the sink. She padded softly into her bedroom, opening the window and pulling an extra blanket out of the closet to ward off the cool autumn air she was letting in. Flipping off the light, she crawled into bed and drifted quickly off to sleep.

Danny slipped his key in the door and pushed it open as quietly as he could. The apartment was dark except for the little light over the kitchen sink. He smiled to himself—that was her welcome home signal.

He locked the door behind him and crept slowly into the bedroom, turning off the light in the kitchen and pulling off his suit coat as he moved. He shivered when he reached the end of the hall and smiled again, remembering all the times he'd teased her about sleeping in the cold. He slid his shoes off and dropped his jacket beside them as he moved over to the bed, lying down carefully beside her on top of the comforter. He wrapped an arm around her and gently kissed her forehead, trying not to wake her.

She smiled at his touch and blinked her eyes open anyway. "'Bout time you showed up," she said sleepily.

"Traffic was murder," he whispered back with a half-grin.

She kissed him and a sly smile spread across her lips. "So are you going to get undressed and get into bed with me, or what?"

"You only want me for my body," he replied, his grin widening.

She giggled. "Damn straight."

He laughed and kissed her tenderly. "Good thing I'm such a stud then," he told her, rising from the bed and unbuttoning his shirt.

"Amen to that."

He laughed again, peeling off most of his clothes and crawling under the covers beside her, leaving his glasses on the nightstand next to the bed.

"I'm glad you came," she told him, cuddling up next to him.

He held her close against him and kissed her again. "Me too." They laid together in silence for a while, each listening to the other's rhythmic breathing. Then Danny spoke again. "You still awake?"

"Mmhmm," Maddie returned.

"I was thinkin' 'bout us today…"

"Me too."

"What'd you come up with?"

She looked up into his eyes and ran a hand softly over his cheek. "I want to keep the baby," she said quietly.

He smiled, running his fingers through her brown curls. "Me too." They lay there grinning at each other for a moment, allowing the enormity of their decision sink in. But Danny wasn't done yet. "_And_ I think we should get a place together…"

"Did I hear you right?" Maddie asked, the mocking tone creeping back into her voice. "Daniel Messer, the king of non-commitment, thinks we should live together?"

"The king of non-commitment? Who gave who a key to his apartment?"

She laughed. "After I gave you one to mine."

"I was waiting for the right moment," he replied, feigning indignation. "And you only beat my by like ten seconds…" He chuckled a little and asked her again, "But what do you think of the idea? We hardly spend any nights apart anyway," he reminded her, "and if we're gonna be parents we're gonna do it together…so whatdaya say?"

Her eyes twinkled in the faint moonlight that filtered in through the curtains. "Okay. I'm game."

He laughed joyfully, tightening his arm around her as she snuggled back into his chest. "That's my girl!"

When they had settled down again, Maddie ran a hand softly over the scar on his shoulder. "We're gonna be parents," she whispered to him.

He kissed her hair and smiled in the darkness. "Yes we are."

They lay awake together, too excited to sleep, arguing over where to live, whose furniture to keep, and even debating a few names for the little one.

"When can I start telling people?" Danny asked.

"That we're moving in together or that I'm pregnant?"

"Both."

She grinned. "When do you want to start telling people?"

"I'd do it right now if it wasn't two o'clock in the morning," he told her proudly

She laughed. "Gotta tell everyone how good your little swimmers are, eh?"

He smiled gently, tracing a finger over the faded scar on her neck. "Gotta tell everyone that you picked me to have a family with."

She kissed his lips softly. "For that I'll let you keep your couch…"

He laughed and pulled her close against him, kissing her again. "Can I keep my favorite chair, too?"

"Not a chance…"

They bartered for a while longer before falling into a comfortable silence.

Maddie buried her face in Danny's chest and yawned as she began to drift off. "You know, I always thought we'd start out with a puppy or somethin'."

He chuckled. "But we went ahead and jumped in with both feet…"

"…and no parachute." She looked up at him. "Will you hold my hand on the way down?"

He smiled softly. "All the way."


	24. Start Spreadin' the News

"'Mornin' boss," Danny grinned, walking into Mac's office.

Mac smiled from behind his desk. "You're awfully cheerful this morning."

Danny's grin widened. "I got some good news last night."

"The way you're acting it must be really good."

The younger detective nodded. "Maddie's pregnant."

Mac sat still, surprised. "Wow. That's big…"

Danny could barely contain his excitement, but only nodded, waiting for Mac to process the information.

"How do you feel about this? Well, you're obviously thrilled, but…"

"Yeah, I know. I've never exactly been Mr. Family Man. But with Maddie, it's different. I'm mean, I'm terrified—I know nothing about kids and I've never committed to _anyone_ for more than six months…"

Mac chuckled. "But then she looks at you and smiles the way she only smiles at you…"

The color began to rise in Danny's cheeks, and he looked down at his feet. "Yeah," he smiled, drawing the word out. "And now I'm happy to be Mr. Family Man…well, to try to be, anyway."

"Hey, if you put as much energy into being a good father as you have into being a good partner for Maddie, then you'll be just fine."

"Thanks Mac," Danny replied, meeting his supervisor's eyes. "That means a lot comin' from you." They stood there for a moment before something clicked in Danny's brain and he turned a bit paler. "I'm gonna be a father…"

Mac's face broke out in a huge smile. "Yes you are. Congratulations," he said, shaking Danny's hand and pulling him into a loose hug.

"Thanks," Danny returned as he clapped Mac on the shoulder.

When they parted, it was Mac's turn to focus on his shoes as he contemplated sharing his own news.

"I don't know if this is the right time," he began, "but I have some information of my own."

"What is it?"

Mac took a breath. "I got an e-mail from Aiden this morning."

Danny didn't react right away. "You did?"

"I did. She's staying with a friend in Charlottesville, Virginia for a while until she gets herself together again. She's working part-time in a bookstore and thinking about going to graduate school when the winter semester starts in January."

"Good for her," Danny nodded, trying to be supportive of his friend. "How did she sound? You can't tell a whole lot from an e-mail, but…"

"She sounds happier, more relaxed," Mac replied. "She said she misses the city and all of us, that she's really homesick, but she's glad she left when she did."

Don was walking slowly past Mac's open office door as the elder detective spoke the last phrase, and stopped in his tracks.

_She's glad she left?_ he thought to himself. _All that time I thought we were happy together, but she couldn't wait to get away…_

He felt tears forming in his eyes and hurried down the hall before anyone could see them.

Mac heard Don's hasty retreat and caught a glimpse of him disappearing around a corner. "Flack, wait…" he called.

"What happened?" Stella asked as she approached the office.

Danny shook his head. "Mac was just telling me about the e-mail he got from Aiden…"

"…and Don overheard," she finished. "I'll go talk to him."

She, too, disappeared around the corner, heading to a secluded part of the lab where she thought Don might be going. She arrived at the room in question and pushed the door open slowly.

"Don…you in here?"

She found him slumped down in a chair, his large hands covering his face. Creeping quietly over to him, she pulled her own chair up beside him and squeezed his shoulder.

"Don?"

He shook his head, unwilling to speak even the smallest word lest his voice give him away.

"Come on Don, talk to me…"

He sucked in a breath. "She's glad she left…" he managed to get out.

Stella wrapped her arm around his shoulders and laid her cheek against his, playing the part of big sister as she tried to comfort her friend. "I don't know what you heard, Don, but I know that Aiden didn't want to leave you. She loved you more than anything else in the world…"

"She didn't even say good-bye, Stella," he replied in a choked voice. "She just packed up all her stuff and left me a _note_…"

The tears were spilling from his eyes now, even as he tried desperately to keep them from doing so. She held him tighter, her heart aching for him, knowing the pain of being left with no explanation.

Don cried for a few minutes, burying his face in Stella's shoulder until he could regain some measure of composure. When he did he lifted his head, a frustrated sigh escaping from his lips.

"I'm sorry," he told her. "I thought I could handle being here at the lab, but I guess I can't. I'm just not over her yet. I don't know if I ever will be."

"You don't have to apologize to me," Stella replied. "You lost someone who was very important to you…you need time to grieve."

He nodded slowly, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

She squeezed his shoulders again and ruffled his hair. "Anytime you need anything, you just let me know, even if it's three in the morning, okay?"

He sniffled and nodded again, feeling ashamed of himself for crying at work but knowing he couldn't keep his emotions bottled up.

"Thanks, Stel," he said quietly.

She smiled and patted his cheek. "You're welcome."

* * *

Maddie clipped the visitor's tag to her blouse as she followed the security guard into the morgue, waiting while he fetched Sheldon from the restricted part of the building. 

"There's the mother-to-be!" the doctor cried bursting from the double doors and throwing his arms around her. "Congratulations!"

She laughed jovially as she hugged him back. "I see Danny's been here already today."

Sheldon squeezed her tightly before loosening his grip. "He has…walked in with a giant grin on his face and couldn't wait to spill it."

"He didn't look nervous at all?"

It was Sheldon's turn to laugh. "He looked petrified, but he was really excited."

Maddie smiled broadly. "That's my boy."

"So how are you feeling? Any morning sickness or discomfort?"

She shook her head. "Not really. Nothing that I've noticed, anyway. My mother didn't have a lot of morning sickness when she was pregnant, so maybe I'll get lucky, too."

"Well, you know who to call if you need anything…"

"Actually, you might be getting a few calls."

Sheldon raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Yeah?"

"You're a good friend and Danny and I trust you, so I was hoping it might be okay if we sometimes pestered you for a second medical opinion."

"Of course you can! Anytime."

Maddie grinned. "Be careful with that offer. Danny and I are both scientists in one capacity or another and we question things for a living—you might never get any sleep."

"It would be my pleasure," he smiled, taking her hands in his. "And I might not be getting much sleep anyway."

"Why is that?"

"I got a new job."

"You did? Where?"

He tried to look nonchalant but his smile widened. "At the crime lab. I'm going to be a CSI."

"Sheldon, that's great!" she exclaimed, hugging him again. "Congratulations!" She planted a kiss on his cheek as she pulled back. "Why the change?"

"Oh, I don't know," he replied. "I guess I just felt like I need to be more active in helping people. Down here I only get involved with the body, and only after someone dies. As a CSI, I get to be a part of the entire process."

"You're going to be a fantastic CSI," Maddie told him. "And I'll get to see you more often, too."

Sheldon patted her stomach. "So I can keep an eye on you and the little one."

She smiled gently. "Between you and Danny, we're going to be very well taken care of."

* * *

"I still can't believe I didn't know you could cook," Stella said as she helped Mac clear the dishes from her kitchen table. 

"Well, now you know," he smiled.

"What else don't I know about you?" she teased.

"What a good kisser I am?" he winked.

She giggled. "Now _that_ I know…" She leaned over and touched her lips to his, unable to keep from smiling as she did so.

They finished clearing the table and settled down on the couch and flipped on the TV. Mac slipped his arm around Stella with a trace of the shyness that he hadn't entirely shed yet. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and tried to smother another giddy grin that threatened to spring to her lips.

"So how's Don doing?" he asked.

She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed. "He's a wreck. He's depressed, he's angry, he's confused. He doesn't understand why Aiden left so he can't come to terms with it."

"He feels like he's been abandoned," Mac agreed. "I remember how hard that is to deal with."

Stella sighed again softly. "I'm familiar with the concept myself."

"And with Danny and Maddie starting a family together…"

"…makes him feel even worse," she finished.

"Danny asked me to tell Aiden about the baby," he told her. "He said he wanted her to know she was going to be an aunt."

She nodded. "They were close to each other…she'll be happy for him…"

"But won't it remind her of what she left? She and Don were really serious…"

"It might, but she should know. Danny's going to be a _father_ for heaven's sake…"

Mac chuckled. "Danny's going to be a father," he repeated with a grin. "Hard to believe, isn't it?"

"Yes and no," she answered thoughtfully. "He's a good man, and he'll make a good father…I think he just needed the right woman to help him show it more."

He pulled his arm tighter around her and kissed the top of her head. "The right woman makes all the difference," he said quietly.

She smiled, blushing a bit. "So does the right man."

* * *

A/N: I borrowed another plotline in moving Sheldon out of the morgue, partly because I liked the idea so much, partly because it fit well here, and partly to keep his position straight in my mind. Outside of that, and the characters that aren't Maddie, the rest is all me :) 


	25. Preparation

"Hey babe, do you mind if I borrow a shirt?" Maddie called from the bedroom of their new apartment.

Danny wandered in from the living room trying to conceal a grin. "Having trouble finding something that fits?"

She sighed. "I guess it's a good thing Stella's going shopping with me today…this is the only pair of pants left that I can still wear, and they're starting to feel tight, too."

He pulled one of his button-downs out of the closet and helped her into it, buttoning it up as he kissed her. "Time for some maternity clothes."

She sighed again and kissed him back. "Guess so."

"Promise me you'll still wear my shirts once in a while," he smiled. "You look so good in 'em…"

This time she laughed, sliding her arms around his shoulders. "We'll see how good you think I look when I weigh an extra fifty pounds."

"You'll look pregnant," he smiled, kissing her again, "and beautiful."

"You always know just what to say," she grinned, running her fingers through his hair. The buzzer sounded in the entryway and she kissed him one last time. "There's Don…"

Danny went to let his friend in and Maddie finished getting ready. When she appeared in the living room she found not only Don, but Stella as well.

"How's the little one doing?" she asked.

"Gettin' bigger," Maddie chuckled.

Stella grinned. "Then let's go get you some new clothes."

Maddie squeezed Don's shoulder and kissed Danny good-bye. "Now you boys behave yourselves…"

"Yes dear," both replied sheepishly.

Stella laughed and walked with Maddie out to the car. "What're they up to today?"

"Watching football and drinking beer," Maddie smiled.

"Ah, a man's perfect afternoon," Stella grinned.

"Yeah, gives 'em a chance to spend some time together without us women around." Maddie paused for a minute as the two climbed into the car and buckled their seatbelts. She glanced sideways at Stella and grinned slyly. "So what's Mac up to today?"

"Oh, he's got some project he's working on…" her voice trailed off and she studiously kept her eyes on the road as she drove. "Why are you asking me about Mac's day off?"

"I figured if anyone knew it would be you."

Stella looked over at Maddie with a very serious face. "How did you come to that conclusion?"

Maddie laughed. "Stella, I know."

"Know what?" the detective feigned innocence.

"You're gonna make me say it? I know about you and Mac."

Stella looked panicked. "If you know, who else does?"

"Oh no no no," Maddie replied. "It's just me, don't worry…"

"How…?"

Maddie blushed a little. "Back before Danny and I got together, I was trying to hide my feelings for him but Mac found me out. He knew what I was hiding because he was doing the same thing, hiding his feelings for you. It was one of those bonding moments…"

"And you didn't tell Danny? Not even now?"

Maddie shook her head. "He knows everything about me, all my secrets, but this isn't my secret to tell."

Stella's face took on a relieved expression. "It isn't that I'm ashamed of our relationship," she explained. "But he's technically my superior…"

"I understand," Maddie nodded. "And believe me, I don't want to get either of you in trouble."

The two were quiet again until Stella's curiosity got the better of her. "So what has he said about me?"

Maddie laughed. "Well…"

* * *

Back at the apartment Don and Danny sat on the couch, each with a bottle of beer in his hand.

"You sure you're okay with this?" Danny asked. "If this is going to be too hard for you, you don't have to…"

Don smiled a little sadly and looked down at his hands. "I used to daydream about what it would be like if Aiden and I had kids…and I miss her like crazy…. But this kid is like part of my family, and I want to help." His smile perked up and he made eye contact with Danny. "Besides, I want to see the look on Maddie's face when she gets home and sees that we've decorated the entire nursery."

Danny grinned and slapped his back appreciatively. "Then let's get started."

The two trotted downstairs and retrieved the paint and supplies they'd need and hauled them back up to the apartment, dragging everything into the spare bedroom. They cracked open the paint cans and began covering the walls in a delicate pale green, slopping a good share of it on themselves in the process. Within a couple of hours, they had painted the entire room and were pulling out the border with little frogs all over it while waiting for the walls to dry.

"Should we grab the rest of the stuff?" Don asked.

Danny nodded, pulling the wrapper off the last roll of border. "Yeah. We can put the furniture together while the paint dries."

After several trips back down to Don's car, they two men had grunted and sweated and cursed the boxes containing the crib, dresser, and changing table into the apartment. They stood for a moment trying to catch their breath before breaking out the tools, ripping open the boxes, and discarding the directions as they attempted to put together each piece.

About halfway through the assembly process the buzzer rang again and Danny jumped up to answer it.

"Hey Detective Messer, it's Dantrell."

Danny grinned. "Did you bring it?"

"Got it right here," came the reply.

"Excellent." He buzzed the young man in and cleared a place in the living room, holding the door open when Dantrell appeared.

"So whaddaya think?" he asked, carrying his contribution to the nursery into the apartment. It was a large wooden rocking chair, built by hand from an oak tree that had lived in the Bakers' back yard.

"When did you find the time to do this?" Danny asked. "Aren't you supposed to be in college now?"

Dantrell smiled shyly. "Gran had to have our oak tree taken out right after you and Miss Parrish called and told me about the baby. I've been building furniture since I was old enough to hold a hammer, and I knew the oak would have a good home here."

Danny ran his hand over the network of details that had been lovingly carved into the arms and back. "It's amazing, Dantrell. Really, it's beautiful."

"You think she'll like it?"

"She's gonna love it."

* * *

A few hours later, Maddie and Stella arrived back at the apartment loaded down with shopping bags.

Danny greeted them at the door, kissing Maddie as he chuckled. "Geez, for a woman who doesn't like to shop you sure were busy today."

Maddie smiled ruefully. "And I'll have to go out again in a couple of months. I have no idea how big I'm going to get, so I can't buy a _lot_ of stuff…"

"But we did manage to get her a few outfits to wear to school," Stella informed him.

"That's good," Danny smiled.

Maddie glanced over at him and knew he was hiding something. "What have you got up your sleeve, Danny Messer?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "Where's Don, and why do I smell paint?"

He and Stella looked at each other and simultaneously broke into wide grins. "I have a surprise for you," he said, taking Maddie's hand and leading her into the spare bedroom.

Don stood in the middle of the new nursery, a grin plastered on his face that matched Danny and Stella's.

"What do you think?" he asked. "Not bad for a couple of cops, eh?"

Maddie's eyes traveled around the room, taking in the product of the afternoon's labor. In addition to the mint green on the walls and the frog border, the crib stood against the far wall, with the changing table across from it, the little dresser sat in the corner, and a framed blow-up of the latest sonogram sat atop it. There were green sheets in the crib, covered with a soft comforter sprinkled with yellow stars and moons and a teddy bear resting against the side. A mobile hung overtop, and Maddie laughed out loud when she saw it.

"Baseballs and bats?" she asked. "What if it's a girl?"

"You of all people should know that girls can do whatever they want to. If it's a girl, I'll teach _her_ to play baseball, too," Danny grinned.

"So, do you like it?" Don asked, already knowing the answer to his question.

"I love it!" Maddie replied, throwing her arms around him and kissing his cheek. "It's beautiful…" She released Don and turned to Danny, pulling him close to her. "Thank you so much."

"It was our pleasure," he told her softly, sliding his arms around her waist. "But you missed the most impressive thing…"

She gasped sharply as he led her over to Dantrell's rocking chair, positioned by the only window in the room. "Oh…my…Danny, where did you get this…"

"Dantrell brought it by. He built it from an oak tree that had been growing in his grandmother's back yard."

He helped her down into it and watched her face light up as she rocked a little, getting a feel for the chair.

"He made this?" she asked incredulously.

Dantrell appeared in the doorway of the nursery at that moment, back from a trip to the car. "For all those 2am feedings," he told her shyly.

Maddie rose from the chair and embraced her former student, holding him tightly. "It's amazing," she replied. "I can't believe you did this for us."

He hugged her back. "Nothing's too good for my family," he said quietly.

More hugs were exchanged and thanks expressed by both Maddie and Danny for their friends' participation in the nursery preparation. Dantrell slipped out the door as quietly as he'd appeared, explaining that he had a paper to finish for one of his classes at City College. Don and Stella followed him out, wanting to give the parents-to-be some time alone with their new digs.

Maddie wrapped her arms around Danny's shoulders, resting her cheek against his neck. "You are amazing," she smiled.

His arms went around her and he smiled to himself, breathing in her scent. "I am, aren't I?"

She looked up at him and grinned. "And so modest…"

He laughed and kissed her gently. "So you like the nursery?"

"It's perfect, right down to the plastic model of a DNA molecule next to the sonogram," she teased.

"Well, what do you expect for a couple of scientists?"

She smiled happily and kissed him again. "You are so wonderful," she told him. "I know I'm getting a lot of the attention, and my hormones are going crazy so I'm not exactly easy to live with…but I couldn't do this without you."

He held her close, stroking her hair. "I couldn't have a family with anyone else."


	26. Family Ties

A/N: Inspired by the episode "Tanglewood" (one of my favorites), Warrior of the Shadow's question "What is Danny running from, I wonder?", and Danny's statement in "Grand Murder at Central Station": "I don't cuddle." Enjoy!

* * *

Danny sat on the couch watching TV in a rare moment of quiet, his arms wrapped around Maddie who was curled up beside him, his hands resting on her softly rounded abdomen. His cheek lay against her temple and he shifted subtly, pulling her closer to him as he kissed her hair.

Maddie grinned. "That's the third time you've done that," she told him.

"Done what?" he asked innocently.

She turned in his arms, her blue eyes twinkling. "Pretend to get more comfortable so you can kiss me."

"What?" he asked, his voice taking on the raspy quality it often had when he was embarrassed.

She giggled delightedly, draping an arm around his neck and playing with his necklace as she slid into his lap. "You just can't admit it, can you?"

He tried vainly to keep the smile from his lips. "Admit what?"

"You can tell me you love me, you can sleep with me, knock me up, and tell our baby you love _it_, but you can't admit that you like to cuddle!"

He opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by the ringing of a cell phone in the kitchen. "That's mine," he smirked, kissing her briefly as he moved her gently back onto the couch. "Probably work…I gotta get it…"

Maddie laughed out loud watching him hurry into the other room after the phone.

"Hello…"

She laid back and stretched out on the couch, still giggling as he paced around the kitchen with the phone. Her eyes followed him when he returned a few minutes later, traveling over his muscular physique as he made his way around the couch and sat down on the floor in front of it. Turning onto her side and running her hands over his shoulders, she caught the troubled look on his face and had to command herself ignore her screaming hormones.

"What's wrong?" she asked, leaning close to his ear.

He frowned. "That was my father."

That explained the change in demeanor. Maddie knew the two had a history, and it wasn't a pleasant one. "What did he want?"

Danny sighed. "He does this every year 'bout this time. Christmas is comin' and it makes him want to be a family man all of a sudden."

"Well, you can hardly blame him for that," Maddie replied.

"No," he shook his head, "but you know how I feel about him."

"I know." Her arms tightened around him, encircling his shoulders as she rested her cheek against his. "What did you tell him?"

"To get lost." He leaned against her and sighed again. "And not to call back."

She nuzzled his neck and kissed it softly. "Anything I can do?" she asked quietly.

"Just what you're doin'," he told her, a small smile forming on his lips.

C'mere," she instructed. He turned and climbed onto the couch beside her, laying his head against her chest and a hand on the baby as she held him tightly. Her fingers combed through his hair and she could feel his breath on her skin. "We'll just lay here and…"

"…cuddle?" he finished with a smirk, the irritation at his father already melting away.

"I thought you didn't like to cuddle," she teased.

He propped himself up on one elbow and looked down into her bright blue eyes, feeling the overwhelming urge to kiss her. He leaned in, but stopped a micron short of her lips and grinned. "I only like to cuddle with you."

She laughed and pulled him to her, unable to keep the smile off her face as she kissed him.

* * *

A few days later, Maddie was puttering around her classroom after school, tidying up after her last class and getting ready for the next day, when a man she'd never seen before walked in the door. He was in his late fifties or early sixties, his face and hands leathery, as though he'd had a hard life. He was dressed in a long black overcoat, and removed his hat as he knocked on the doorframe.

"Excuse me," he said in a strong New York accent. "I'm looking for Madeline Parrish."

"Well, you found her," Maddie replied, raising an eyebrow at him, wondering who he was and how he'd gotten past the security guards. "What can I do for you?"

His eyes traveled over her body, taking note of her swollen belly. "It's true," he said, nodding.

"What's true?"

"You're going to have a baby with Danny Messer."

She looked at him warily. "Who are you?" she asked. "How do you know Danny? And how did you know I was pregnant?"

He smiled at her unease. "My name is Michael Sassone," he told her. "I'm a friend of the Messer family. Danny's father heard that he might be becoming a grandfather and he wanted to know if his information was accurate."

Maddie returned to her work, wiping down lab tables with a look of disdain. "Is that why he called the other night?"

Michael nodded. "He just wanted to check up on his family."

She finished the table she was cleaning and moved to the next one. "Then why didn't he come down here himself?"

"He was unable to do so," was the only reply he gave.

Finishing the second lab table, Maddie stood and looked Michael in the eye. "Is there anything else?" she asked, her tone clearly implying that there better not be.

"No, that's all." He placed his hat back on his head and turned to leave, but stopped midway out the door. "Oh, there is just one more thing," he said, turning around to face her again. "Could you tell Danny I said hello? I haven't seen him in quite a while."

"I'll be sure to do that," she said, her voice filled with contempt.

"I appreciate that," he told her with a smile, disappearing into the hallway.

"What the hell was that all about?" she muttered to herself. She quickly finished with the room and decided to pay a visit to the lab on her way home.

Sheldon was coming in just as she was, and greeted her with a hug and a big smile. "How are you two doing?" he asked, patting her stomach.

She hugged him back and grinned. "We're good," she told him. "Healthy, happy, and growing."

"That's good news," he said. "Any movement yet?"

Maddie shook her head. "Not yet, but the doctor says in the next couple of weeks I should start feeling something."

"That sounds about right. So what brings you by?"

"I need to talk to Danny real quick. Is he here?"

"I think he's around here somewhere. I'll help you look."

He offered her his arm and she took it, smiling again as she did so. "So how does it feel to be Dr. Sheldon Hawkes, Crime Scene Investigator?" she asked as they walked.

A faint blush crept across his cheeks. "It feels good," he replied shyly. "It's nice to be involved more with the living and less with the dead."

"I bet. And I hear you're doing a fantastic job, too."

"For a rookie," he laughed.

"Hard being the new guy again, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but Mac and Stella and Danny and Don make it a lot easier. Ah, here we are," he said, spotting Danny coming out of Mac's office, holding the door for Stella as she went in. "Your Prince Charming."

Maddie laughed. "Prince Charming, eh? Don't let him hear that one…he'll be running around with my shoes calling me Cinderella…"

Danny heard her laugh and strode over to where she stood with Sheldon. As he came toward them, she squeezed Sheldon's arm and released it, slipping her arms around the father of her child.

"Hey slugger," she smiled.

He kissed her briefly and smiled back. "Hey babe." He reached down and caressed her abdomen. "And hey baby…"

Sheldon smothered a smile and cleared his throat. "Well, I'd better get back to work," he told them.

"Thanks Sheldon," Maddie replied.

"See ya later," Danny called after him.

Sheldon nodded, still trying to hide his smile, and disappeared around a corner.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company today?" Danny asked with a grin.

She frowned. "Do you know a guy named Michael Sassone?"

That name instantly brought back some bad memories. "Why do you want to know about Michael Sassone?" he asked cautiously.

"He came to see me at school today."

It was Danny's turn to frown. "What did he want?"

"He said he was coming to check up on me for your father, to see if we really were having a baby," she told him, watching the anxiety creep across his face. "He said he was a friend of your family's. Danny, who is this guy?"

He shook his head and slid his hands over her shoulders. "Someone I collared a couple of times when I was working at the 6-3. He's got ties to the mob, but we were never able to prove anything."

"Is he dangerous?"

"I don't think so. He just wants to see if he can scare us a little, so he says he knows my family." His arms went around her and he pulled her to him, kissing her forehead. "It's nothin'."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he said, trying to be reassuring.

"He _did_ know who I was, and that I was pregnant with your child…"

He thought about that for a moment. "Have you ever fired a gun?"

Maddie nodded. "I used to have a target permit back in Michigan."

"You ever carry?"

"Danny, I'm a schoolteacher," she reminded him, tapping on his head. "No weapons on campus."

"Well, maybe we should see about getting you a target permit here…just to get you used to handling a firearm again."

She nodded slowly, understanding what he was implying. "That's why I had one in Detroit…so I could use one correctly if I needed to."

He kissed her lips quickly. "I gotta get back to work…"

"Okay. We can talk more about it at home."

"Yeah. I'm gonna be late tonight, though…gotta stop to make after I get off," he said.

She nodded again and brushed her hand across his face. "I'll try and leave you some dinner leftovers," she grinned, making light of her ever increasing appetite. He laughed and she kissed him one more time. "Be careful…"

"I will," he promised.

The couple parted ways, not noticing that someone had stopped in the hallway just short of where they were standing. Don, not wanting to interrupt what had looked like an intimate conversation, had taken care to keep out of sight while he waited to talk to Danny. What he had been unable to do, though, was to keep from eavesdropping. He heard the name Michael Sassone, and heard the concern in Danny's voice even as he tried to assure Maddie that everything was fine.

_I wonder who this guy is_, he thought to himself as he tried to catch up to Danny. _Maybe I should check him out…_

_

* * *

_

Before he made it home that night, Danny found himself standing on the doorstep of the house he grew up in. He hadn't been back there in years, and had little desire to be there now, but he needed to take care of this before it got out of hand.

He knocked brusquely on the door, hearing shuffling sounds inside as the occupant moved to answer it.

The door opened. "Danny? Is that you?" an older man asked through the storm door.

"Yeah, it's me."

The outer door opened and the older man's smile dripped with condescension. "Finally come to visit your father, eh boy? Come in out of the cold."

Danny stuffed his hands in his pockets. "This is not a social call," he replied firmly without moving from the step, "and I won't be staying."

The senior Messer frowned. "I guess I'm not surprised—you've been refusing to speak to me since your mother died. Well, what is it you want then?"

"I came to tell you to leave us alone."

His father feigned innocence. "What do you mean?"

"I know that you sent Sonny Sassone's father to see Maddie at work today," Danny told him heatedly. "You're trying to scare her, to intimidate me, but it's not gonna work. I know who you are, how you operate, and whatever it is you want, you're _not_ gonna get it."

"So you've told this girl all about yourself, then? She knows what kind of family you come from, who you used to associate with? She knows about the things you've done?"

Danny forced himself to remain calm and to look his father in the eye. "Leave us alone." He turned without another word and moved quickly down the walk, sure that this wasn't the last he would hear from his father.


	27. Mission: Impossible

The snow was falling softly over Manhattan as the two CSIs walked down the street, attempting to Christmas shop for their respective girlfriends.

"This is harder than I remember," Sheldon complained.

Danny grinned. "When was the last time you bought something for a woman?"

"That wasn't a relative? Oh, let's see now…"

Danny laughed. "That long ago, huh?"

Sheldon gestured toward Danny's empty hands and replied, "Well it's not like you're doing any better."

"True, true. Maybe we need to work together on this…approach it the way we solve a case."

It was Sheldon's turn to laugh. "That's romantic. I'm sure the girls will appreciate it."

"You got any better ideas?"

Sheldon thought for a moment. Then, "No. Okay, we'll do it your way."

They ducked into a department store, figuring that with all the different choices there they were bound to find something for Sarah and Maddie.

"So where do we start?" Sheldon asked.

"Not in housewares," Danny decided. "One of the few things I learned from my father is that no woman wants a blender or a vacuum for Christmas."

Sheldon grinned. "Absolutely. One year when I was a kid, my father bought all new kitchen appliances for my mother's birthday. She loved to cook and spent a lot of time in the kitchen, and they needed new appliances, but let's just say it didn't go over real well."

Danny chuckled. "I can imagine. Clothes are out, too, then, 'cause they'll cause the same problem."

Sheldon nodded. "Okay, what about perfume? Women like perfume, right?"

"Maddie only wears perfume on special occasions, and there's only one kind she wears…"

"And you don't know what it is," Sheldon finished.

Danny tried not to look embarrassed. "Right. But we can go look at some for Sarah if you want to."

"It's worth a shot."

The two rambled through the store until they found the perfume counter and spent a half an hour fending off the flirting of the girl working there. Both became thoroughly frustrated and left, promising through gritted teeth to think about the fragrances they'd tested and come back later.

"That was painful," Sheldon winced as they rode the escalator upstairs.

"You ain't kiddin'," Danny agreed.

Sheldon wrinkled his forehead, thinking hard. "Okay, what else?" He caught sight of something red and silky as they reached the top of the escalator and smiled. "Lingerie?"

"You wanna talk about pain?" Danny laughed. "Lingerie has pain written all over it!"

Sheldon walked over to a rack and ran a finger gently over a satin nighty. "Really? Why? It's sweet, it's romantic…"

"Do you know how much trouble you'll be in if you get the wrong size?" Danny grinned.

Sheldon stopped. "I don't know Sarah's sizes…and you have a pregnant girlfriend who's very touchy right now about how she looks…"

"Exactly."

"So strike two."

"Yep. On to the next plan…"

* * *

In another department store, Mac and Maddie strolled down the aisles engaged in the exact same activity.

"I'm glad you came with me," Mac said to her. "It's been a long time since I've bought a woman a Christmas gift."

Maddie smiled. "Happy to help," she replied. "So where do we start?"

Mac looked blankly at her. "I don't know."

She laughed and began walking. "Well, are you looking for something small and inexpensive, something big and expensive, or something in between?"

He kept pace with her, trying not to bump into people as he thought. "I don't want to do too much," he decided, "because we aren't that serious yet."

"Not that serious?" Maddie grinned. "Mac, I've seen the way you two look at each other…"

He smiled shyly and shifted his gaze to his feet. "Okay, well, we're taking things very slowly. Stella hasn't had much luck when it comes to men, and it's only been a few years since Claire…"

She brushed a hand over his shoulder. "You two take things as slowly as you need to. Don't let obnoxious people like me try and rush you," she grinned.

"I think we'll be okay," he chuckled. "So anyway, I need to get my girlfriend a Christmas present." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye to see how she reacted to his words.

She didn't disappoint, her eyes twinkling as she laughed out loud. "Your girlfriend? How long have you been waiting to use that one?"

"Oh, a while now," was all he said. "Outside of the times when Stella and I are alone, I only get to use it when I'm with you."

She laughed again. "Then feel free to use it all day today…you're so cute when you do…" Mac blushed crimson and Maddie giggled. "So, shall we?"

"Let's."

He offered her his arm and she took it, quizzing him about the type of gift he was looking for as she led him around the store. Eventually they ended up in the jewelry department, every man's gift-giving safety net.

"Okay, so if you want to go all big and over the top, the diamond rings are over here…" Maddie said, gesturing toward the far end of the display case while trying to keep a straight face.

"Uh, no," Mac replied. "How 'bout something a little _less_ over the top."

"There are some nice earrings over here…" She led him in the direction of the earring displays and helped him comb through the sets.

He found a few pairs that were okay, but nothing that really screamed Stella's name. "What about a necklace?"

"Also a nice choice," Maddie informed him. "There's sterling silver, gold, necklaces with stones in them, some without stones…"

They waded through the masses of necklaces until Mac found the one he was looking for. He knew it was perfect the instant he saw it: the outline of a small star inlaid with diamond chips, dangling from a delicate gold chain.

"This one," he declared. "It's Stella."

"Literally," Maddie smiled, "since 'Stella' means 'star'."

"You think she'll like it?" he asked as the clerk wrapped it up for him.

She squeezed his arm affectionately. "Oh yeah. You just wait."

His smile was a mixture of shyness and pride as he took the small bag from the clerk. "Now," he said, turning to her and changing the subject, "what about Danny?"

She pressed her lips together. "I don't know," she thought out loud. "I want to get him something fun…something he can play with…"

"…something electronic," Mac finished with a grin.

"Exactly," she laughed. "Since he is kind of a computer geek."

"Then I know just the place…"

* * *

Don sat on the floor in his living room, staring down at the sheaf of papers in his lap.

_Michael Sassone…arrested 9/23/01—racketeering; released, insufficient evidence…arrested 6/14/02—extortion; released, acquitted at trial…arrested 7/27/03—heroin trafficking, conspiracy to commit murder; released, trial ended in a hung jury…arrested 2/2/04—intimidating a witness, jury tampering; released, insufficient evidence…arrested 12/13/04—extortion, attempted murder; released, insufficient evidence…_

_Captain in the Utzieli crime family…believed to be very violent toward enemies as well as allies…known associates include Benito Amilcaré…Vyacheslav Mikhailovich__Molotov... Josef Dzhugashvili…Tanglewood Boys…Loreto Gang…_

Don shook his head at the papers, turning paler as he read through the dossier. "Amilcaré, Molotov, Dzhugashvili, Tanglewood, Loreto…these are some scary guys…scary even for cops to deal with…" He paused and thought about that last statement. "Scary _especially_ for cops to deal with…I wonder if Danny realizes…"

Before he could expound any further, though, there was a knock at his door.

"Who's there?" he called as he pried himself off the floor.

"It's Stella," a voice called back.

Don opened the door with a puzzled expression on his face. "Hey, Stel…what're you doin' here?"

Stella smiled. "I have something for you." She looked down at the envelope in her hand, raising an eyebrow as she looked back up at Don. "I don't know if this is an early Christmas present, or cruel and unusual punishment…"

"What is it?" he asked curiously.

She pressed her lips together and handed him the envelope. "It's an e-mail from Aiden."

He tried to keep his expession neutral. "Oh."

"I think…I _hope_ I'm doing the right thing here, but I think you should read it."

Stella watched Don as he stared at the envelope, wondering if she was helping the situation or inflicting an incredible amount of pain on him.

"Okay," was all he replied.

He looked a little stunned, like he'd been blindsided, so she decided to leave him to process. "I was just out running some errands, and I gotta get going, so I'll let you get back to whatever it was you were doing…"

She turned and started to walk away but Don touched her shoulder. "Stel?"

"Yeah?"

"How is she?"

Stella gestured toward the envelope. "Read for yourself."

She disappeared down the hall and Don went back into his apartment. His apartment, the one he had moved to after he had boxed up all of Aiden's things and fled the apartment they had shared together. He stood in the living room, looking around at his apartment, nearly bare because most of their things had belonged to Aiden or had reminded him of her, and had ended up in storage.

He glanced down at the envelope in his hands and wondered if he should read it. Aiden hadn't called or e-mailed him herself, but Stella obviously thought there was something in there he should know.

He resumed his position on the floor, staring at the envelope for several more minutes before taking a deep breath and opening it.

The first two-thirds were mostly chit-chat, talking about Charlottesville, the bookstore Aiden was working in, the trip she took with her friend to check out the campus of the University of Virginia.

It was a paragraph near the end that got Don's attention.

_So how's Don doing? _Aiden wrote._ Is he okay? How are things going for him at work? You're keeping an eye on him, right? Don't let him work too hard…he does that when he gets frustrated with life. And make sure he eats, too. Maybe you can keep some Pop-Tarts in the car for the next time you two go somewhere on the job…_

_Listen, Stel, I know I really have no right asking about him after the way I hurt him, but I gotta know. I knew when I left New York that he was The One, and even after being gone for months I've still never been more sure of anything else in my life. He's _it_—my soul mate, the man I'm meant to spend my life with. I only hope someday he'll understand why I left. Maybe then he can forgive me…_

Don stopped reading, feeling himself go numb. Aiden, the woman who had run out on him, the woman he thought had lied to him about how happy she'd been with him, had in fact wanted to spend the rest of her _life_ with him.

He couldn't think, couldn't react. The letter slipped from his fingers as one thought passed through his mind:

_She loved me…she _still_ loves me…_


	28. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

The Crime Lab's annual Holiday Party was usually kind of a big deal, a chance for scientists who spent the day in lab coats attending delicate equipment to step out of their normal roles and have a good time with their coworkers. Danny and Maddie discovered that this year was no exception when they walked into Charlie's.

The bar had been rented out by the lab for the evening, and was decorated with Christmas lights and ornaments, Menorahs, and even a couple of Kinaras for those who celebrated Kwanza. The jukebox blared from its place against the wall and an area nearby had been cleared for a dance floor.

Mac, however, was not on the dance floor. He sat at a table nursing a beer with Don, who had been invited as an honorary member of the lab. Sheldon and Sarah sat with them, laughing and talking, enjoying the time with each other and their friends.

"Looks like we're a little late," Danny smiled as he and Maddie walked over. "The party's already started."

Sheldon and Mac stood politely as Danny helped Maddie into a chair, then took a seat himself.

"Bar's open, Danny," Mac told him. "Why don't you go grab a beer?"

The younger detective shook his head. "Maddie can't drink because of the baby, so I'm not drinking either," he explained.

"That's so sweet," Sarah smiled. "I can't even get Sheldon to give up the remote control when we're watching TV."

Maddie laughed. "Oh no, the remote is much more sacred than alcohol," she said with mock seriousness. "The only way I get the remote at home is if I wrestle it away from Danny."

Don laughed at that one. "I bet you can do it, too," he told her.

Maddie sighed and put her arm around Danny. "He just doesn't want to wrestle with me anymore…thinks I'm too fragile since I got pregnant."

"You are anything but fragile," Sheldon winked.

"You better believe it," she grinned back at him.

Mac's attention was suddenly diverted when Stella appeared in the doorway, and Maddie barely conceal her smile. She quickly leaned over and kissed Danny on the cheek to help hide her expression.

"You can have a beer or two tonight if you want to," she told him. "We're celebrating."

"You tryin' to get me drunk?" he grinned.

She smirked at him. "Yep. Plannin' on takin' advantage of you as soon as we get home tonight."

He rose from his chair with a laugh. "In that case, I'll be right back."

The table had a good laugh at that, and Don stood as well. "I think I'm ready for another one myself," he said, following Danny to the bar.

The two men stood at the counter waiting for the bartender to get to them, watching Stella as she made her way over to their table. Don's mind wandered back to the conversation between Danny and Maddie that he'd overheard in the hall, and he wondered if now was the right time to ask his friend about it.

_I gotta tell him_, he thought. _He might not know how much danger he's really in…_

"Hey Danny," he began. "I was doin' some checkin' the other day, and I pulled a sheet on a Michael Sassone. Name mean anything to you?"

Danny's face paled, but his expression remained steady. "Yeah, I collared him a couple of times when I was at the 6-3," he replied. "Supposed to be connected to the Mafia, but we never could prove it."

"Oh he's connected alright," Don informed him. "He's a captain in the Utzieli crime family…bad news, this guy." Danny's face betrayed him at that moment and Don knew something was going on. "You knew that, though, didn't you?"

"Yeah," was all Danny said.

"You know how dangerous he is?"

"Yeah," he repeated.

"You gonna tell Maddie?"

Danny didn't answer him, glancing down the bar at the bartender instead.

"You have to tell her," Don told him. Danny continued to look at the bartender, and Don grabbed his shoulder roughly. "Danny, you have to tell her. You both might be in danger…and she if she finds out from someone else that your father is connected to this guy…"

Danny's head whipped around. "How did you know that?" he asked sharply.

"I asked around," Don responded. "I had to dig a little, but not all that much. Look, whatever the connection is, whatever happened, you have to tell Maddie."

Danny stared at Don, a stare that bore holes in Don's head with its intensity, but said nothing. The bartender interrupted and quickly served the two their drinks, sending them back to their table.

Maddie noticed the expressions on their faces as they resumed their seats and shot Danny an "everything okay?" look. He curled his lip and shook his head faintly, as if to say "not right now". She frowned in response, wondering what had happened in so short a time, but let it go for the moment.

As the evening progressed people began to sing carols at the bar, the music on the jukebox became louder, and the dance floor grew more crowded. Sheldon and Sarah spent the majority of their time finding subtle ways to touch or look at each other in that silly, sweet, new-relationship kind of way that they still had with each other. They even managed to steal a few kisses under the mistletoe, much to the delight of the slightly tipsy crowd who had begun to applaud _every_ kiss under the mistletoe.

Don took Maddie out for a spin on the dance floor, trying to keep his mind on the party and off Michael Sassone and Aiden's letter. Maddie was glad he wasn't sitting in a corner all night moping, but could see the sadness in his eyes.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked as they moved to the music.

He blinked and smiled apologetically. "Yeah. Just thinkin'."

"'Bout Aiden?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I, uh…I had something special planned for Christmas for her, that's all."

"Did it involve a diamond ring and getting down on one knee?"

He nodded again and swallowed. "Yeah."

"Look, I don't know how things will turn out between you two," she told him, running a hand over his shoulder affectionately, "but I know how much you both still love each other, and that's worth a lot."

Don looked down at her and replied softly, "Not if we're not together."

She pulled him closer in a comforting hug, wishing she could take away the pain. When the song ended, he released her and smiled.

"Thanks," he told her. "I needed that."

"Anytime," she returned.

Maddie made her way back to Danny, managing to get him out on the dance floor for a couple of slow songs, too, but his attention was plainly elsewhere as well and he was unable to bring it back.

"Danny, are you listening to me?" she asked him at one point when they were sitting alone at their table.

"Hmm? Yeah I'm listenin'. You wanted to get some new things for the baby…"

"No," she corrected. "I wanted to get some new things for my _student's_ baby. Adrienne, from my second period Basic Science class…she's about as far along as I am, and she has no one to help her…"

"Okay, babe," he replied distantly. "We can do that."

"Danny," she tried again, waiving her hand in front of his eyes. "Danny! What's with you tonight?"

He shook his head as if to clear it and frowned, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently. "I'm sorry. Just, uh, this case at work," he explained, knowing she wasn't buying it for a minute.

She didn't call him on it, though, figuring he was thinking about his father and hadn't wanted to bring him up at a party. Instead she merely nodded. "Okay," she replied, squeezing his hand in return.

"So Adrienne's pregnant?" he asked. "She's the blonde one that sits in the middle, isn't she?"

"Yeah," Maddie responded. "She found out a few weeks after we did that she was pregnant, and her parents threw her out. Her boyfriend promised to take care of her, but she didn't exactly get happily ever after with him, either. Now she's living with a cousin, working part time to pay for medical expenses, and trying to finish the tenth grade."

"Tenth grade?"

"Yeah. She won't be sixteen until February."

"Wow," Danny breathed. "This is hard enough for us and we're adults. How tough is it for a fifteen-year-old?"

"Exactly. So I was thinking maybe as we get ready four our little one, I might help her get ready for hers." Maddie smiled softly, her hand unconsciously moving over her abdomen as she spoke.

"We," he responded.

"What?"

"We'll help her get ready…you'n me."

She smiled broadly and planted a kiss on his cheek. "That's my boy…"

The party continued around them as the music blared, and people continued to come out of their shells as people do only at a holiday party. Somewhere in all the chaos, Stella and Mac managed to slip away undetected and find a spot alone in a back hallway.

"I have something for you," Mac grinned shyly, pulling a box from his sport coat pocket and handing it to her. "I can't wait 'til Christmas."

Stella giggled girlishly as she took the box. "Oh Mac…you didn't have to…"

"I know," he told her. "I wanted to."

He slid an arm around her, watching her face as she lifted the lid of the box and pulled out the star necklace Maddie had helped him pick out.

She sucked in a breath. "It's beautiful…"

"You like it?"

She laid her cheek against his. "I love it," she said softly.

He leaned in to kiss her, but she stopped him with a wink. "Not yet…you have to open your present first."

She pulled a small box of her own from her purse and handed it to him with her patented Stella smirk, making him chuckle.

"It's…" He opened the box and laughed again. "It's mistletoe."

She patted his cheek. "I was gonna get you a tie, but you stopped wearin' 'em," she teased.

He leaned in and kissed her softly. "You loosened me up."

* * *

"I had a good time tonight," Maddie said with a tired smiled as she followed Danny into their apartment and kicked off her shoes, "but boy am I glad to be home."

He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his collar, flopping down on the couch and pulling her down beside him. "Me too," he agreed. "Home with the love of my life, the mother of my child."

She grinned at him, reaching up and kissing him, nibbling playfully on his bottom lip. "Major brownie points for that," she told him.

"It's true, though. And I'm sorry I wasn't all there tonight, too," he continued, slipping his arm around her. "There's just so much goin' on…"

"I know," she replied, leaning back against his chest. "Just make sure that when your mind wanders away like that, you come back to me."

"Always." He sat for a moment, stroking her arm and thinking about his family. Maddie was more family to him than his blood relatives, and with his father reappearing, he wanted her to know it. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box, the gift he had finally settled on during his shopping excursion with Sheldon. "I was going to save this for Christmas, but I want you to have it now." She took the box from him with a questioning look in her eyes. "G'ahead, open it," he smiled.

She shifted a bit and he pulled her closer as she lifted the lid of the box. Inside was a ring, a simple polished gold band with an inscription flowing around the outside of it.

"The inscription is in Latin," he told her.

She couldn't help but giggle a little. "The language of science…"

"Yeah," he grinned. "It says 'amor vincit omnia'…"

"'Love conquers all'," she smiled softly.

"It's nothin' fancy," he continued. "And not as extravagant as what I wish I could get you, but…it's us."

"It's beautiful," she breathed, pulling the ring from the box and taking a closer look at it.

His arm tightened around her as he reached for the ring. "It goes on this finger," he instructed, taking her left hand in his and sliding the gold band on her third finger.

She was a little surprised as she turned and looked into his twinkling blue eyes, studying him for a moment. No, she decided, he wasn't asking _that_ question yet. But the mere fact that he was beginning to consider the idea told her all she needed to know about his feelings for her.

"I love it," she whispered to him. "And I love you."

He leaned down and kissed her tenderly, his free hand sliding down her body and coming to rest on her abdomen. Her fingers ran over his strong arms and muscular shoulders, threading through his hair as she turned into him. He moved with her, his arm supporting her as he laid her down on the couch. Halfway down he felt a flutter under the fingers that still rested on Maddie's abdomen and stopped.

"What was that?" he asked, breathless from the kiss and startled by the flutter.

"I felt it too…"

Danny laid Maddie gently down the rest of the way onto the couch and they remained still for a few moments, waiting for the motion to repeat itself.

"There it is again!" he whispered urgently.

She smiled broadly, realizing what they were feeling. "Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"That was our baby."

His eyes widened. "That hasn't happened before…"

She grinned. "Nope. That was a first."

"It…moved…"

She giggled at his continued shock. "Yep."

He smiled crookedly and kissed her. Then, in his best Dr. Frankenstein voice: "It's aliiiive…"

She laughed out loud and pulled him down to her, squirming as he buried his face in her neck and tickled her with kisses.


	29. Things Fall Apart

A/N: The song lyrics belong to 3 Doors Down, not to me :)

* * *

Danny was heading back to the lab after a crime scene run, trying to concentrate on driving but hearing the words his father had spoken to him echo in his mind. 

"_You've told this girl all about yourself, then? She knows what kind of family you come from, who you used to associate with? She knows about the things you've done?"_

He slammed on his brakes, noticing an instant too late that the car in front of him had stopped. He managed to avoid a collision but received an angry look and equally angry gesture from the driver of the car he had almost hit.

"Goddamn New York drivers!" the guy yelled. "This is why I never drive in the city…"

Traffic started to flow again and Danny moved around the still-yelling driver, reaching over and turning up the radio to drown out the stream of obscenities.

_You love me but you don't know who I am_

_I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand_

_You love but you don't know who I am_

_So let me go_

_Let me go…_

"Maddie," he said out loud, instantly connecting with the song. "She doesn't know who I really am…what I've witnessed…what I've done…"

He frowned at the radio, wanting to switch the station but held still by the guilty feeling settling over him. "She should know about Michael Sassone…if he came to see her at school, she might be in danger, and she should at least know why. But if I tell her that, I have to tell her _everything_…"

He didn't know what to do. He needed advice, but only someone who knew his secret could help him. He wasn't going back to his old life, especially to ask for help. Not from them. Not ever. But there was someone…

A short while later he found himself pulling into a familiar cemetery near his father's house. He parked off to the side of the little gravel road and carefully picked his way through the grass until he found the grave he was looking for.

Caroline Messer

April 9, 1951—May 14, 1991

Beloved Wife and Mother

He bent down and gently brushed some fallen leaves from the headstone. "Hi Mom," he said softly. "It's Danny. I haven't been out here as much this year as I had hoped, but I…I need your help. I didn't know who else to ask…"

He shook his head and buried his face in his hands. "They're comin' after me, Mom," he whispered hoarsely. "I always knew they would and I accepted that, but Maddie's in danger, too, and she doesn't even know why. And that's what I need your help with. She deserves to know the truth, she _needs_ to know how much danger she's in and why, but if I tell her what I did, who I am…I'll lose her, Mom, and I won't make it without her. She's my whole life. And the baby…I'm not gonna be much of a father, but I sure as hell want to try." He shook his head again and looked at the grave marker with tears in his eyes. "I don't know what to do…"

He knelt down beside the grave and allowed himself to cry, something he had only ever done in his mother's presence. When he had calmed himself again, he discovered the decision was easier to make than he had believed.

"I _can't_ lie to her," he said. "I've never lied to her before, and I'm certainly not gonna start because of Pop and Michael Sassone. And keeping her and the baby safe are the most important things right now. I don't want to lose her, but if something happens to her because of me…" A lump rose in his throat and he couldn't finish the thought.

He swallowed hard and wiped the remaining tears from his eyes with the back of his hand as he got to his feet. "I'll tell her tonight," he said resolutely. He brushed his hand over the headstone again and smiled sadly. "Thanks Mom…"

* * *

Maddie sat alone on the couch, trying not to look at the clock but sneaking peeks at it every few minutes despite her efforts. It wasn't unusual for Danny to be late—it wasn't even unusual for him to be _this_ late—but he always used to call or ask one of his coworkers to call to let her know he was still in one piece. Lately, though, he had been working late without checking up on her and she was worried. 

A small voice in the back of her mind kept whispering reasons why Danny would stop calling in the evenings. _He's been shot…he's being held hostage…he's been in a car accident…_ But each night he'd walk through the door safely and kiss her hello. Then the little voice would whisper _he's found someone new…he doesn't really love you…he only stayed with you because of the baby…he's having an affair…_

"No," she said out loud, trying to keep the voice at bay. "Not my Danny."

But it explained the lack of phone calls, and his more distant behavior as of late.

"So does the increase in the crime rate and his father's attempts to get in touch with him…and me."

_But…_

She looked down at the ring on her left hand. _Amor vincit omnia_. Love conquers all. "No," she said again, shaking her head. "No."

He came through the door at that moment and smiled at her. "Were you talking to your students again?"

Maddie smiled back. She often spoke to owner of the paper she was grading as she graded it, and Danny was always quick to tease her about it. "Just thinking out loud this time," she told him.

He plopped down on the couch beside her and tiredly kissed her cheek. "How was school today?"

"Only one fight," she reported proudly. "Adrienne's baby is healthy so far, Tina Brown is breaking up with her crack-dealing boyfriend, and the basketball players have begun rubbing my stomach before games for good luck."

He laughed at the last part. "Superstitious athletes."

"Like you never were…"

"We're not talkin' 'bout me, here," he grinned.

She laughed. "Sure. But you should be proud. It's your son that they think is lucky."

The expression on his face softened. "My son…"

"He's movin' again…"

Danny slid his arm around her and pulled her close, resting his free hand on the baby. The look in his eyes spoke volumes, and every thought of a possible affair fled Maddie's mind. She knew he was hers and hers alone.

She leaned up and kissed him tenderly. "I love you so much…"

He laid his cheek against hers, his blue eyes shining. "I love you too."

They sat together for a few minutes while Danny tried to gather the courage to tell Maddie his secret. He held her in his arms, breathing in her scent, listening to her soft breathing, feeling their son moving within her. His heart was breaking, being torn to shreds at the thought of losing what he had because of his past. But he couldn't let them hurt her.

"Babe, I need to talk to you about somethin'."

"'Bout what?" she asked cautiously, noting the serious tone of his voice.

He sat up and turned to face her, taking her hands in his. "Michael Sassone for starters."

She nodded, knowing there was something about the man that Danny hadn't told her yet. "Okay."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Everything I told you about him is true. I did collar him when I was at the 6-3, and we did believe he had ties to the mob. But there's more to it than that."

He was shaking and the fear was plainly written on his face. Maddie squeezed his hands reassuringly and tried to smile. "Danny, whatever it is, you can tell me."

He swallowed hard and continued. "Michael Sassone does have ties to the mob. I know, because so does my father. So…so did I…"

Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak, but no words came.

"My father got involved with the Utzieli crime family when he was a kid and never wanted to leave. He made good money, his family was protected, and he thought he was respected. When I was born, he thought it was his duty to the Utzielis to involve me, too, so I tagged along whenever he was conducting business. Not the real sensitive stuff when I was little, but the older I got, the more involved I was. I helped sell stolen merchandise, I was the lookout during business deals, small stuff like that."

He paused there, watching the wheels of her mind turning as she processed the information.

"This is why you and your father don't speak…" she said.

He nodded. "It's part of it."

"There's more?"

He nodded again, feeling the shaking of his hands intensify. "Yeah."

"Okay."

Danny took another deep breath, trying to calm himself, trying to keep himself together. "By the time I got to high school, two things were pretty clear my father wanted me to get more involved with the Utzielis, and my mother wanted me to get out of the business. I was doin' pretty well in school, playing on the varsity baseball team when I was a sophomore, and she thought I would have a better life if I went to college. My father thought my intelligence would help me climb the ladder in the family, rise higher than he did.

"When I was seventeen, Mom started to get sick. She was a strong woman to put up with my father and the business, but her heart was weak. I spent a lot of time takin' care of her, and started to see how a life outside the Utzielis might be better for me. I liked the idea of earning my own living, of making my own way, and I really liked the idea of playing ball in college."

Danny paused again, knowing the worst was about to come out, unsure if he really could tell her what he did. He looked into her beautiful blue eyes, eyes that were normally so bright and smiling, but were now dull and wide with shock. How could he do this to her?

Because she deserved to know whose child she was carrying. Because she needed to know how much danger she was in. Because he loved her too much to keep it from her any longer.

"I told my father I wanted out two months before my eighteenth birthday. He told me he'd think about it, and like an idiot I believed him. A few days later he asked me to go with him on a business deal, that he needed me there in case the guy he was dealing with got rough with him. I didn't want to go, but I wanted to make sure Pop didn't get hurt, so I went and so did Sonny Sassone, Michael's son. The deal turned sour and the guy _did_ try and get rough, but I didn't have to worry about my father getting hurt."

Danny closed his eyes and bowed his head, the memory flashing vividly across his mind's eye.

"My father beat a man to death that night. He was still throwin' punches long after the guy had stopped movin', and Sonny and I had to pull him off the body. When he came to his senses, he realized what he'd done and begged me to help him cover it up. So I did. I found a place to bury the body where it would never be found and dug the grave, I cleaned up the room where he'd been killed, and I got rid of my father's bloody clothes."

He opened his eyes, but couldn't bring himself to look at Maddie. "I found out later that the whole thing had been a setup," he told her, looking down at his hands still holding hers. "There had been a contract out on the guy my father killed, and they decided to use the murder to get to me. They wanted to scare me into staying in the business, but if it didn't work, they had something to blackmail me with to keep me from talkin'. Michael Sassone had put the whole production together and sent Sonny as a witness."

Maddie blew out a breath, still not knowing what to say or do. She'd been hit with too much information at once, but Danny wasn't done yet.

"My mother died a week later. It was just too much for her to take, finding out her husband was a murder and that her son, the one she had such high hopes for, had not only witnessed the whole thing, but had helped cover it up."

His face crumpled and he tried to choke back the emotion welling up inside of him. "It's my fault, Maddie," he whispered. "I killed her. I'm a witness to years of criminal activity, I covered up a murder, and I killed my own mother…"

Maddie finally found her voice. "Danny…"

He released her hands and rose from the couch, walking to the window andlooking out over the city. "You probably don't want to be around me right now, so I'm gonna stay with Don for a while…until you decide what you want to do."

"What I want to do?" she asked, rising from the couch as well. "Danny, I'm overwhelmed, for sure. It's a lot to absorb but…"

He cut her off. "You don't have to explain it to me," he told her, heading toward the bedroom. "I just have to pack a few things and I'll be outta your way."

"Danny, no, wait…" She took a step toward him but stopped cold before she could take another, her face contorting with pain and her hands immediately going to her abdomen.

He heard a low moan escape her lips and turned swiftly. "What…?"

A second waive of pain washed over her and she grunted, squeezing her eyes shut as her arms clutched the baby. Her knees buckled underneath her and she collapsed onto the floor.

He rushed over to her screaming her name. "Maddie!"

"I'm bleeding…I can feel it…Danny, the baby…"

He pulled out his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1 as fast as his trembling hands would let him, noticing the blood stain that began to appear on the front of Maddie's dress between her legs. "The paramedics are on their way," he assured her, taking her hand in his and brushing the hair gently from her forehead. "Everything's gonna be all right…"

The ambulance arrived what seemed like hours later and rushed Maddie to the nearest hospital, where doctors and nurses worked on her frantically, trying to stem the bleeding and save her life along with that of the baby.

When it was over, though, they only accomplished one of their goals.

"Detective Messer?" a very tired ER doctor asked Danny as he came out of the trauma room where Maddie was being treated.

"Yes?" Danny replied anxiously.

"We were able to stop the bleeding, and she's stable now. We're going to admit her, but…" The doctor frowned. "We couldn't save the baby."

The color drained from Danny's face and he felt himself become lightheaded. "What?"

"I'm sorry," the doctor replied. "We did everything we could, but he just wasn't developed enough to survive outside the womb."

Danny shook his head in disbelief. "No. No! It's not true!" He paced the hallway yelling at the doctor for a few moments before a pair of nurses wheeled Maddie out of the trauma room toward the elevator.

He stopped in his tracks. She was unconscious, her skin pale, and he could see the blood stains on her hospital gown showing through the thin white blanket that covered her. His eyes were drawn to her abdomen as she passed, and he felt tears spring to his eyes. What had once been a softly rounded home for their child was now a bloody, empty hollow where their son had been.

Danny stood frozen in the hallway, watching her as the nurses continued on their path to the elevator, knowing what the doctor had said was true.

They had lost the baby.


	30. Mourning

The doctors called it a "spontaneous natural abortion". The State of New York called it a "birth resulting in a stillbirth". Most of their friends and family called it a "miscarriage". It had happened for no reason the doctors could find, just as it had to thousands of people every year in this country alone. But whatever the name and whatever the cause, the result was the same. Maddie and Danny were no longer parents-to-be, they were now parents-that-never-were.

Maddie spent several days in the hospital, then a week more in bed at home as her body tried to recover from the havoc wreaked not only by the miscarriage but by the pregnancy itself. Physically she was young and strong, which expedited her recuperation, and she was up out of bed and back to school in record time.

Emotionally, though, the healing process moved at a much slower pace for both her and Danny. He had taken it especially hard, barely holding himself together during the day and crying himself to sleep every night. When he had cried himself out, the tears gave way to anger—anger at the doctors and nurses for not saving the baby, anger at God for taking his son before he even had a chance to take a breath, anger at himself for laying his family's secrets on Maddie at a time when more stress was the last thing she needed. He had always worked long hours, but began spending more and more time on the job, using work both as an escape from the pain and to shield Maddie from his anguish.

For her part, Maddie kept her grief under wraps, pushing her feelings aside and focusing on the people in her life that needed her. She rose quietly every morning, picking out clothes for herself and for Danny, making breakfast so she could be sure he ate, and sending him off to work with as much support as she could muster. She'd head to school herself, caring for her students all day long as she tried to help them deal with their lives as well as their education. In the evenings she came home to an empty apartment and spread out on the living room floor, taking the time alone to complete any schoolwork she'd been unable to finish that day. She fixed dinner and often ate it alone, waiting stoically for Danny to come home before going to bed.

"I don't know why you even bother," he had said to her during one of his calmer moments. "You don't sleep anyway, you just lay there waiting for the alarm clock to go off."

She hadn't reacted when he'd mentioned that, and it had worried him. Through all his sorrow and rage he began to notice that she rarely reacted to anything anymore. She didn't smile, didn't laugh, didn't yell, or scream, or cry. And she didn't mourn.

* * *

Maddie came home from school one Friday and found Danny standing beside the bed, packing a change of clothes in an open suitcase. She stopped in her tracks and just stared, unable to respond.

He looked up, his blue eyes meeting hers. "Hey," he greeted her quietly. "I'm glad you got home before I left."

"Where are you going?" she asked in a flat voice.

"I'm staying at Don's."

Still she didn't react. "For how long?"

"That depends on you," he told her. He straightened up and took a step toward her, wanting to touch her, to take her in his arms, but knowing he wouldn't be able to leave if he did. And he needed to leave. "Maddie, I'm worried about you," he explained. "You haven't cried since we lost the baby…"

"Not everyone cries," she interrupted, trying to sound defensive but failing.

"But you do," he replied. "You get emotional when something really upsets you." He paused, feeling a lump rise in his throat. "You've been so busy taking care of me and helping me grieve that you haven't had time to grieve yourself, and you won't be able to with me here." He searched her face for any kind of response but found only her dull, expressionless eyes. He took her hands in spite of himself and squeezed them gently. "I love you so much," he said in a shaky voice. "And I need you more than I've ever needed anyone else in my life. But I need _you_, and you're not you right now." He sniffled, still fighting the lump in his throat and trying to keep his composure. "When you're ready, all you have to do is say the word and I'll come runnin'. But not until you're ready."

"Danny…" she started, but he stopped her.

"No. I've thought a lot about this, and it's the only way. I was gonna go anyway, after I told you about my family…" He paused, trying to find the words that would make her understand. "You can't start to heal with me here, and I won't lose you too. I wouldn't make it without you…"

He felt the tears in his eyes as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek softly. Then he quickly closed his suitcase and hurried out of the apartment, leaving Maddie standing alone in their bedroom.

* * *

That night she went to bed alone, as she had every other night that week, curling up under the blankets knowing she'd sleep even less without Danny there next to her. True to her prediction, she tossed and turned, dozing here and there but not really sleeping. She rose with the sun, unable to lie in the empty bed any longer, and attempted to go about her usual Saturday routine. 

She graded papers, wrote lesson plans, and straightened up the apartment in the same emotionless manor she'd adopted since she returned from the hospital. But that evening, she found herself standing in front of the closed door of the nursery that Danny and Don had so lovingly decorated. She hadn't been inside since they had lost the baby, knowing it would tear her apart. She also knew that Danny was right, that she wouldn't begin to heal until she confronted her emotions.

Maddie pushed open the door slowly and stepped into the room. Little had changed—the walls were still a bright pale green, little frogs still danced on the border that ran around the room, the teddy bear still smiled up at her from his place in the crib. Taking a deep breath, she took another step, running her hand over the changing table and smiling sadly at the stack of diapers that sat waiting to be used. Another few steps brought her to the crib, where she patted the teddy bear on the head and began to feel the sorrow she'd been repressing welling up inside her.

She opened the little closet, kneeling down to touch the stroller that sat on the floor. It was the expensive jogging kind that someone at the lab had given them, though neither she nor Danny were runners. A lump rose in her throat as she remembered the jokes they'd cracked about riding in the stroller while the baby jogged behind it. She saw the little pair of Nike's sitting beside it that he had brought home one day shortly thereafter. "For the little guy to run in," he had winked.

She stood and made her way over to the dresser, opening some of the drawers and fingering the tiny baby clothes that had already been bought in anticipation of the big day. She found the outfit Aiden had sent from Virginia, the little UVA sweatshirt with matching pants. Beside it sat the receiving blanket her mother had sent from Michigan, the one she'd made for her first grandchild.

Maddie's heart ached as she closed the drawers, lifting her eyes to the top of the dresser where the plastic DNA model sat beside the newest sonogram picture. Danny had been so proud of the model, and she had laughed at him when he'd shown it to her, but looking at it brought her pain now. The sonogram picture, too, ripped a hole in her heart so large she wondered if it would ever mend.

A wave of grief washed over her when she picked up the picture, but no tears came. She wanted to cry, _needed_ to cry, but couldn't. Her knees went weak under the weight of her anguish and she sat down in the only chair in the room, the rocking chair Dantrell had carved. She clutched the sonogram to her chest and bowed her head, willing herself to cry. But still her eyes remained dry.

Somewhere during the night she dozed off, and drifted into a sleep deep enough for dreams for the first time since she'd returned from the hospital. It was a bright sunny day in her dream, and she and Danny were strolling through Battery Park, where they'd gone on their first date. Between them, holding tightly to their hands, was a golden-haired boy about three years old. He smiled mischievously up at the two adults, his bright blue eyes twinkling as he cried out, "Mommy, Daddy, look—doggie!"

Maddie woke with a jolt, still sitting alone in the rocking chair holding the sonogram. She pulled it away from her chest and looked at it in the moonlight, picturing her son as she had seen him in her dream.

"My baby..." she whispered hoarsely, tears finally flowing from her eyes. "My baby…" She wept mournfully, sobs wracking her body as she held the sonogram tightly against her. All the sadness she had kept bottled up surged violently out, threatening to tear her apart, and she knew she couldn't bear it alone.

"Danny!" she cried out into the empty apartment. "Danny, I need you! Please…"

Strong arms encircled her and held her securely. A hand stroked her hair as a voice murmured softly in her ear.

"I'm here…"

She buried her face in his shoulder and he tightened his arms around her, instinctively wanting to try and calm her but knowing she needed to let it all out.

"Our baby," she choked. "He's gone…"

He kissed her hair and squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself not to cry. "I know," he whispered.

"He moved…I felt him move…our baby boy…"

"I know," he repeated softly as the tears began sliding down his cheeks.

He pulled her gently from the rocking chair down onto the floor where he could hold her closer still, running a hand slowly over her back. Her arms went around his neck, clinging to him for support both physically and emotionally as the grief poured out of her.

They sat on the floor of the nursery for what seemed like hours, holding each other and crying, mourning their loss together. When they had quieted a bit, Danny helped Maddie up off the floor and into their bedroom.

He let go of her for a moment to allow her to change out of her clothes, but she quickly reached out for him, pulling him back to her and holding on tight. "No, don't go…"

He slipped his arm gently around her. "I'm not goin' anywhere, sweetheart," he told her softly, kissing her hair. "I'm here as long as you need me."


	31. Bring On The Rain

A little time passed, and Danny and Maddie continued to grieve the loss of their child. No longer, though, did they grieve individually, but together. Maddie began to show emotion again, smiling here and there, disciplining her students, encouraging them, crying when she needed to cry, sleeping better at night, and loving Danny with all her heart. He, too, cut back on his hours at the lab, putting in less time at work than he had at any point in their relationship, knowing he was needed most at home.

Still, there was one question that nagged at him and he wasn't sure if it was okay to bring up such a touchy subject yet. Fortunately, Maddie did it for him one night after dinner.

They were clearing the table together, carrying dishes and leftovers into the kitchen, when she placed the two plates she'd brought in onto the counter and turned to him.

"Hey slugger, you up for a little serious talk tonight?" she asked.

He glanced over at her as he spooned spaghetti into a plastic container. "Sure, babe. What's on your mind?"

"The Utzieli family."

His hands paused at her words, but he tried to keep cool. "Okay."

"You told me a very sensitive family secret a couple of months ago, and we haven't discussed it since."

He pushed the lid down onto the container of spaghetti and slid it into the refrigerator, turning slowly around to face her. "Yeah," he said, licking his lips nervously. "My father backed off a little when he heard about the baby, so it hasn't really come up."

She took a step toward him. "But it's going to again."

"Yeah," he repeated.

They were silent for a moment before Maddie spoke again. "You want to know what I think of you, now, don't you?" she asked quietly. "You want to know if my opinion of you has changed any since you told me."

He swallowed hard and nodded, unable to look her in the eye.

"It hasn't."

He looked up and met her gaze with a confused expression on his face. "What?"

She took another step toward him and slid an arm around his waist, running a hand over the five o'clock shadow that was growing in along his jaw. "My opinion of you hasn't changed," she repeated. "In fact, it's gotten stronger."

His arms circled around her, hands resting uncertainly on the small of her back as he looked at her, puzzled. "How's that even possible?" He pulled away and walked to the other side of the little kitchen. "I tell you I was affiliated with the Mafia, that I helped cover up a _murder_, and you think _better_ of me?"

"When you got involved with the Utzielis you were just a kid," she explained. "But when you grew up, you made the choice to leave, despite what they knew about you and despite the danger. You had enough strength to get out, to do what you knew was right."

"But if anyone ever finds out about the Utzielis, about the things I did with the Tanglewood Boys, about the cover-up…I could lose my job, my whole life, everything…"

"Except me," she interrupted.

"Even after what I did to my mother…to you and the baby?"

She walked over to him and slipped her arms around him, nuzzling his cheek. "Your mother's death was not your fault," she said quietly. "You didn't weaken her heart, and you didn't kill that man. You were only trying to protect your father, to take care of your family…just like you did with me and the baby." She smiled and pulled back a little, looking deep into his eyes and playing with his hair. "And you took such good care of us…" He turned his face away, unable to look at her, but she turned it back, forcing him to do so. "You're a good man, Danny. You always try to protect the ones you love because they are what's most important to you, and that's a quality you should be proud of. I know I am."

"You are?"

She nodded. "It gets you in trouble sometimes, yes, but it's because you care so much. And that's not a bad thing."

He brushed a strand of hair out of her face, the corners of his mouth curving up ever so slightly into a small smile. "No one's ever put it that way before."

"Well it's true," she told him. "It's one of the things I love most about you."

She leaned up and kissed him tenderly, feeling him relax as she did so. He still wasn't convinced of his innocence in the death of his mother or child, but knowing that Maddie didn't blame him for either lifted some of the weight off his shoulders.

* * *

Don sat at his desk in the squadroom of his home precinct staring blankly at the paperwork he was supposed to be completing. He was thinking instead about the e-mail Stella had given him from Aiden.

_He's The One, _she had written._ …my soul mate…the man I'm meant to spend my life with…_

"And what have I been doin' since she left?" he asked himself with disgust in his voice. "I've been sittin' on my ass feelin' sorry for myself."

He shoved the paperwork roughly in a drawer and turned to the laptop computer sitting on the back of the desk, flipping it open as he pulled it to him.

"Well, no more," he decided. He didn't have Aiden's address, or phone number, or even her e-mail address, but he knew that if he wrote a letter, Stella would make sure Aiden got it.

_Aiden,_

_This letter's probably going to come as a surprise to you, since we haven't spoken since the night before you left, but I'm finally ready to write it. You'll remember that I never have been very good at expressing my feelings, but there are two things I need you to know._

_The first thing is how much you hurt me when you left, and in the way you left. You never talked to me and told me how you felt, never mentioned anything about how miserable you were here in New York. Maybe that's my fault. Maybe I wasn't receptive enough for you to talk to, but you never even gave me a hint that you were anything but happy here. When I found your note lying on the kitchen counter, it was like you ripped the heart right out of my chest and handed it to me. Mac and Maddie have tried to help me understand why you did what you did, but I still haven't gotten over the pain, and I don't know if I ever will. It wasn't just your clothes you took to Virginia with you. You took my heart, too._

_The second thing you need to know, though, is that I still love you. I don't understand why you left, but I know that part of the reason you did it was to save me from whatever it was that was troubling you, and I love you so much for that. I always did, Aid. I loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you, and I never stopped. You were the only woman I told all my secrets to, the only woman I ever took home to meet my entire family, and the only woman I ever felt strongly enough about to move in with. None of that has changed. When I close a case, I still want to run home to celebrate with you. Whenever I pass that stuffy restaurant we went to on our first date, I want to call you up and make fun of it with you. And whenever I see the Empire State Building all lit up at night, I want to hold you close against me and kiss you, because you're The One. You're Miss Right, Aiden, and my life is empty without you._

_Stay safe in Virginia, and be happy. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy._

_Don_

He frowned at the computer screen, knowing his words didn't even come close to expressing his feelings, but also knowing that they were the best he could do. He printed off the letter quickly and stuffed it in an envelope, tucking it in his coat pocket to give to Stella the next time he saw her.

* * *

Maddie sat atop a lab table in her classroom looking through a stack of photographs with a sad smile on her lips.

"Whatchya lookin' at?" Danny asked, walking though the door and kissing her softly.

She turned the stack so he could see it. "Pictures of Adrienne's baby. I dropped the film off when I came home from the hospital and picked 'em up at lunch today."

"How's she doin'?"

"She's fine, and the baby's healthy and happy," Maddie replied. "You'll never guess what she named him."

"What?"

She grinned. "Daniel Parrish Mirenzi."

"No kiddin'?" he smiled proudly. "She didn't tell us she was gonna do that."

"She said wanted to name her son after the two people she hoped he'd grow up to be like." Her smile faded as she looked down at the photos again.

Danny rubbed her back. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I think so. It hurts, seeing Adrienne holding little Danny and knowing we never got that chance, but I'm happy for her. She has a beautiful, healthy baby, and her aunt is more than willing to help her take care of him."

He slid his arm around her and squeezed her shoulders, kissing her hair. "I'm glad things seem to be workin' out for her."

"Me too."

A comfortable silence fell over them for a few moments before Danny sighed. "I, uh, have some news for you," he said hesitantly.

"What is it?"

"I got another warning from my father."

Maddie frowned. "Mourning period's over, so let's threaten the family again," she said sarcastically. "Who was it this time?"

"Sonny Sassone," he told her. "The District Attorney's still trying to nail him for killing Paul Montonassi, but the charges were dropped the first time around and the DA hasn't re-filed yet."

"So Sonny's a free man," she finished. "He didn't show up at the lab, did he?"

Danny shook his head. "No, caught me at a crime scene alone while the uniformed officer was checking on somethin'. He didn't cross the tape, or even get that close to me, but he advised me to watch my back. Said a little birdie might drop in on Mac someday and tell him all about my past."

"Why is your father doing this?" she fumed. "Why is he trying to ruin everything you've worked so hard for?"

"He wants me back in the business," Danny told her. "The Utzielis have a few cops in their pocket, but one of 'em got pinched and they're lookin' for a replacement. Who better than a cop who happens to be the son of one of the big shots in the family?"

She was silent for a moment, staring at the photographs she still held in her hands with unseeing eyes, turning a thought over in her mind.

"Would it be so bad if Mac knew?" she asked quietly without looking up.

Danny let go of her shoulders and took a step back. "I can't tell Mac," he almost growled. "He's my boss, my…"

"Mentor," Maddie finished. "I know, and I know how important his opinion is to you. But he knows you almost as well as I do. He'd understand. I did…"

"No," he told her firmly. He scrunched up his face, frowning as he continued, "Even if I forget about what he would think of me, if I tell Mac he'll have to report it to the District Attorney. The cover up makes me an accessory to _murder_." He started pacing around the classroom, gesturing with his hands as he spoke, his forehead wrinkled in thought. "Let's say I get lucky and cut a deal that somehow doesn't involve jail time, and that I even get to keep my job. I'd still have to testify against my father…against the mob… Do you know what they do to rats? And not just to me…" He paused and looked at her, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently. "I won't let them hurt you," he said softly.

She took his other hand and pulled him closer, lacing her fingers with his. "You know them better than I do, and you know what they're capable of. But there's witness protection, too…"

He shook his head. "No. I won't run off to Nebraska to play Farmer and Mrs. Brown," he spat out. "I want to marry you here, in Manhattan…"

Her eyes widened and a surprised smile formed on her lips as she realized what he had said. "You what?"

His face fell and he heaved a defeated sigh. "This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen," he complained, bowing his head. "I had the whole thing planned out…nice dinner, roses, candles…I was even gonna get down on one knee…"

Maddie grinned.

"But instead of being a sweet, romantic moment," Danny continued, "I just blurt it out offhandedly while we're trying to figure out what to do about my mobbed up family."

"Did you mean it?" she asked quietly.

He looked up at her. "Of course I did." He released her hands and caressed her cheek, running his thumb over her smooth skin. "I never thought I'd ever meet a woman who'd make me want to settle down. But with you…" He leaned his forehead against hers and brushed a lock of hair from her face. "It isn't settling."

She kissed him softly. "See?" she said, smiling the smile only he could bring to her lips. "There was our sweet, romantic moment."

He returned her smile shyly. "Yeah." Then he pressed his lips together and sighed again. "Look, I can't offer you much; just a life as a cop's wife in a little apartment in the city. In fact, marrying me automatically moves you up near the top of the mob's enemies list and puts your life in danger. But I'm bein' selfish and askin' anyway."

"I like our life," she informed him. "And the mob can kiss my ass."

He laughed at that. "You've been in New York too long."

"And you're asking me to stay," she grinned.

"Yep."

She kissed him again, unable to keep herself from smiling. She pulled back the tiniest fraction of an inch and whispered, "Yes."

He grinned broadly, his lips still almost touching hers. "Yes?"

"Yes."

He tightened his arms around her waist and lifted her off the lab table, swinging her around and laughing out loud.

"She said yes!" he shouted gleefully.

"Shhh! Danny!" she admonished as she tried to suppress her own laughter. "There are still people here!"

"I don't care!" he laughed, setting her down and holding her against him. "I'd shout it from the rooftops, but the department would probably give me another psych eval."

She giggled at that. "So I'm marrying a crazy man?"

"Crazy 'bout you," he smirked, kissing her again. "And at least a little bit prepared for this moment." He released her and reached inside his coat pocket, pulling out a modest but brilliantly sparkling diamond ring.

"Danny…it's beautiful," she breathed.

He smiled softly. "It was my mother's."

She transferred the 'love conquers all' ring from its usual position on her left hand to her right and allowed him to slide the diamond on in its place.

"I'm honored," she said quietly. "I know how much she meant to you."

He brushed a hand over her cheek and smiled again. "She was the only person who ever loved me completely…until I met you."

She leaned up and kissed him gently, holding tightly to his shoulders, feeling his hands move across her back. She felt so safe in his arms, and knew that he felt safe in hers.

"My Maddie," he whispered when they broke apart.

She smiled. "Always."


	32. With A Little Help From My Friends

Maddie made her way through the lobby of the Crime Lab, clipping the visitor's badge to her blouse as she walked, intending to pay a quick visit to Danny. Before she knew what had happened, strong arms wrapped themselves around her and warm lips caressed her neck.

"Hey, aren't you the future Mrs. Messer?" he murmured in her ear.

Her laugh was low and throaty as her fingers ran through his hair. "Maybe," she told him. "Or I might be the future Mrs. Parrish-Messer…or maybe I'll just stay Ms. Parrish…or maybe you can change _your_ name…"

"Mr. Daniel Parrish," he smirked. "Yeah, that's gonna happen."

She laughed and he leaned in, kissing her deeply right there in the middle of the lobby, making her blush as she pulled away. "Danny…"

He grinned and kissed her again quickly. "I know, I know—a little over-the-top for work. I just couldn't help myself," he winked.

She smiled appreciatively. "'Sokay," she replied. "I needed that."

"Rough day?"

She sighed and nodded. "I was just over at the 2-7 helping one of my kids file a domestic abuse complaint against her boyfriend."

Danny pulled her close again and held her in his arms. "Is she okay?" he asked softly.

"They're taking her to the hospital to get checked out. He beat her up pretty badly." Maddie closed her eyes and laid her cheek against his. "You think she could stay with us tonight? The boyfriend'll be out on bail in a few hours."

"Of course she can stay with us," he told her. He kissed her hair and smiled gently. "I'll swing by Luigi's on the way home and pick up dinner, and we can hang out and watch TV, just the three of us."

She drew back and kissed him tenderly. "You're a good man, Charlie Brown," she smiled.

He grinned. "I have a good woman."

She opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by Mac's presence as he passed through the lobby on his way out of the building. Danny bristled in her arms, taking a step back and shifting nervously as they three exchanged pleasantries. When Mac left, Maddie turned to Danny and raised an eyebrow at him.

"You haven't told him, have you?"

He looked at his feet and shook his head.

"Look, you're an intelligent man, and you're completely capable of making your own decisions, so this is the last you'll hear out of me. But I think you should tell Mac about your family."

"Maddie, you don't understand…"

She brushed a hand over his face. "I understand more than you think, and so will he. He cares about you. Besides, if you don't tell him, somebody from the family will and they'll have won. If _you_ tell him, they got nothin'." He didn't reply, so she squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek. "I gotta get over to the hospital. Just promise me you'll think about telling him?"

He nodded. "Okay, I'll think about it."

* * *

"Married, yeah," Stella said into the phone as she sat in Mac's office watching him work. "Can you believe it?" 

On the other end of the line, Aiden chuckled as she stepped out of her car in Virginia. "Who knew _Danny_ would be the first one of us to get married?"

"No kiddin'," Stella laughed, noticing the way Mac's eyes kept wandering across the desk to where she sat. "But they're both really happy."

"I always knew they would be," the younger woman smiled. She pulled the mail from the mailbox and glanced through it. "Hey Stella, I got a letter here with the return address of the lab…looks like your handwriting…"

Stella's eyes went wide and Mac sent her an inquisitive look. "Open that one when you're alone, Aiden."

"Why? What is it?"

"Just trust me on this one."

"Okay. I better get goin' then. Talk to you later."

"Bye."

Stella flipped her cell phone shut and met Mac's questioning expression. "I think she got Don's letter today."

"Oh," Mac replied softly, making his way around the desk and leaning against it. He ached to hold her in his arms, to touch her just for a moment. But in his glass-enclosed office, he dared not even think those thoughts for fear of giving away their secret. "I hope it isn't too painful for her."

"Do you know what it says?" she asked curiously.

Mac shook his head. "I didn't read it either, but I know how I'd feel if something like that happened to us." He glanced out the large windows and, satisfied that no one was watching, brushed his fingers over hers. "Stella, promise me you'll never run off like that," he said quietly. "Promise me that no matter what happens between us, we'll always talk it out. I couldn't bear to lose you…"

"You won't, Mac," she smiled. "Everything's connected, right? That includes you and me." She rose from her chair and boldly kissed him on the cheek. "You couldn't get rid of me if you wanted to," she grinned lightly.

She bounced out of the room, leaving Mac to try and conceal the faint blush that had crept across his face and the silly smile he couldn't seem to wipe from his lips.

* * *

At that moment, almost four hundred miles away, Aiden sat on the floor of her living room staring at the return address on the only envelope she had yet to open. 

_New York City Police Department Crime Lab…New York City, NY…_

She took a deep breath and slit the top, pulling out the letter inside and unfolding it slowly. It was typed, but the author had signed his name at the bottom.

She recognized the handwriting immediately.

_Aiden,_

_This letter's probably going to come as a surprise to you…_

Her hands began to shake, and tears welled up in her eyes.

… _you hurt me when you left…maybe that's my fault…it wasn't just your clothes you took to Virginia with you…you took my heart, too…_

She was crying now, but kept reading, unable to stop even as a part of her pleaded for her to do so.

… _I still love you…you were the only woman I told all my secrets to…my life is empty without you…_

The letter slipped from her fingers and she could no longer control the emotions welling up inside her. She hugged her knees to her chest and buried her face in them, sobbing.

"Don…"

* * *

Danny stood around the corner from Mac's office, his gaze fixed on the Caller ID display on his cell phone. 

_Sassone, Michael_

_718-555-0329_

He frowned at the phone, replaying the message Michael had left on his voicemail threatening again to expose his past to Mac if he didn't come back to the family business.

"If they tell him, they win," he reminded himself. "If I tell him, they got nothin'."

He took a deep breath and walked as casually as he could toward Mac's office, where he knocked on the door frame.

"Hey Danny," Mac greeted him with a trace of the smile Stella had left him with still on his lips.

"Hey Mac," Danny returned, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Mac caught the difference in attitude and stopped what he was working on. "What's on your mind?" he asked, rising from his chair.

Danny pressed his lips together and studiously avoided Mac's eyes. "There's something I need to tell you. I…I don't…know…how…exactly…to say this…" he said haltingly.

Mac wrinkled his forehead. "Whatever it is Danny, you can tell me."

Danny took another deep breath and forced himself to meet Mac's gaze. "Maddie and I are being threatened…"

Mac's eyes narrowed with instant anger aimed squarely at the guilty party.

"…by the Mafia…"

The eyes widened a bit in surprise, and Danny could almost see the wheels turning in his mind as Mac tried to make the connection.

"…because I used to be a part of it."

The older detective took a moment to process the news. Then, "Okay. Start from the beginning…and tell me everything."

With his shoulders slightly hunched and his eyes flickering around the room, Danny filled Mac in on his past his father, the Utzielis, the murder and cover up, his mother, everything.

When the last words has passed his lips, he stood, head bent, hands once again stuffed in his pockets, waiting for the verdict.

"And they've been threatening you with exposure?" Mac asked.

Danny nodded silently.

"Have they threatened you with bodily harm?"

"Not this time around," Danny told him in a flat voice. "There have been hints dropped, and they've already tried to intimidate Maddie, so violence is the next step."

Neither spoke while Mac again turned the information over in his mind. This time, though, his response was easy.

"Danny, I don't know what to tell you or what to do about your past. We'll have to sort that out, probably with the District Attorney…"

Danny's face fell, and he braced himself for the blow he knew was coming.

"…but whatever happened, these people have no right to threaten you or Maddie. As far as I'm concerned, you are a member of the New York City Police Department and you both will have any and all protections it can offer. Your safety is priority."

Danny looked up, surprised. "Really?"

Mac took a step forward and rested a hand on Danny's shoulder. "We're a team here, a family. And I will _not_ stand by and watch while one of the members of that family is harmed in any way. Not when there's something I can do about it."

Danny looked at his superior with a mixture of gratitude and relief. "I don't know what to say," he replied softly.

"You don't have to say anything," Mac told him simply. Then he winked. "Now go home to your fiancée."

Danny smiled, his first genuine smile since Maddie's visit. "You got it, boss."

* * *

When he arrived home later that evening, he found Maddie curled up on the couch with a very battered teenaged girl. They both looked up and smiled as he slipped off his coat and shoes and carried the take-out he'd promised to get into the living room. 

"Hey babe," Maddie smiled. "You remember Shayla…"

"Yeah, I do," he smiled encouragingly at the girl as he sat down beside her. "Shayla's a Mets fan, too. Has a little thing for Mike Piazza."

He winked at her and her smiled widened as far as the bruises on her face would allow.

"So what'd ya get for dinner?" Maddie asked, thrilled to see Shayla smiling. "We're starving."

"It's a good thing," Danny laughed, "because I brought home half of Italy."

He began opening containers with a flourish, making Shayla giggle a little. Maddie smothered another smile as she rose from the couch to fetch plates from the kitchen.

Danny followed her. "Don't forget the parmesan cheese," he told her, snaking an arm around her waist.

She turned and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I won't," she smirked.

"So what did the hospital say?" he asked, lowering his voice so Shayla wouldn't hear.

Maddie frowned. "He beat her with a baseball bat," she replied quietly. "Welts and bruises all over her body, couple of cracked ribs, broken arm, and a concussion." She could see the anger rising inside him, so she reached up and ran a hand over his face. "Don't Danny. Getting upset doesn't help her right now. She needs us to take care of her."

He leaned his forehead against hers, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "It's just…how could somebody do that…and to someone they claimed to care about?"

"I know, I did my share of cursing and throwing things before I went to the hospital," she admitted. "But Shayla needs love and support, someone to protect her, and that's what I intend to do."

He pressed his lips together and frowned. "Yeah, okay. But if I ever get my hands on the boy who did this…"

She pulled him closer, laying her cheek against his in unspoken agreement.

"Speaking of protection," Danny continued, drawing back after a moment, "I talked to Mac today."

"'Bout what?" she asked. He arched his eyebrows and realization hit her. "Ohhh. You told him? I thought you weren't…"

"I wasn't," he confirmed. "But you were right. If Sonny or Michael or my father got to Mac before I could explain, they'd get exactly what they want. If I told him, they got nothin' on me anymore."

"So you told him."

"Yep."

"Everything?"

"Everything."

She was quiet for a moment. Then, "How'd he take it?"

Danny's smirk was almost cocky. "Let's just say, if we have anymore trouble with the Sassones or my father, they're gonna have to deal with Mac and the entire New York City Police Department."

She grinned, both happy and relieved. "Oh Danny, I'm so glad," she told him, hugging him again.

"We still have to deal with the fact that I may go to prison for covering up a murder," he added, then whispered softly, "but now I know you're safe, no matter what."

She smiled and peeked over his shoulder into the living room, catching a glimpse of Shayla lying on the couch, grimacing slightly at her battered body as she shifted positions. "How 'bout we go make someone else feel safe tonight."

He squeezed her affectionately and kissed her hair. "You got it."


	33. Surprise!

Stella found Maddie sitting beside one of her students on top of a lab table as she entered the classroom.

"Hey Stella, what a nice surprise," Maddie smiled.

Stella hesitated. "If you're busy, I can just call you later…"

"No, it's okay, come on in. This is Shayla," she explained. "Shayla, this is my friend Stella."

The girl smiled shyly. "Hi."

Stella smiled cheerfully back. "Hi Shayla."

"So what brings you by Stel?"

The smile faded a bit. "Crime scene over at MLK High School."

Maddie nodded. "The teacher that was attacked by his student."

"Yeah, that one. Anything happens to a teacher and Danny starts worrying about you, so I told him I'd swing by and check up on you since I was nearby."

Maddie turned her attention to Shayla for a moment, patting her on the back. "Why don't you go get your science homework from Mr. Logan and wait for me by the front doors? I'll just be a few minutes, and then we'll go home."

"Okay," she replied quietly, hopping off the lab table and heading out the door.

"That's _your_ Shayla?" Stella asked when she had gone.

Maddie nodded. "That's our Shayla. And it looks like she'll be staying with us a lot longer, now, too. She doesn't know who her father is, and her mother just got pinched for drug trafficking."

"The state's gonna take her, aren't they?" Stella asked.

"They want to, but Danny and I asked to be certified as foster parents so she could stay with us. I couldn't stand the thought of her in some stranger's home, not after everything she's already been through."

"Well, if you ever need a babysitter…"

"She's almost 16," Maddie told her, "so she's okay by herself. And besides, if she needed a babysitter, I know ER doctors with more free time than you have."

Stella laughed. "Good point. But speaking of free time, I actually have the night off tomorrow night, and I thought we could have that girls' night out if you're not busy."

"Tomorrow night's perfect," Maddie grinned. "Mac's taking Danny out for a little male bonding and marriage advice tomorrow, and Shayla's working on a school project with a friend."

"Great! I'll pick you up at eight then. Wear something suggestive and tell Danny we're going 'out'."

Maddie laughed. "That would certainly test his trust in me."

* * *

At the appointed hour, both Mac and Stella arrived at the Parrish-Messer household, meeting in the lobby and riding up to the apartment in the elevator together.

"Is everything ready?" Mac asked.

Stella smiled. "All set to go," she replied, taking his hand in hers. "All we need to do is get 'em there."

"You're bringing Maddie first, right?"

"Yep. Give me 'bout a half an hour before you bring Danny."

The elevator car reached the appropriate floor and the doors slid open. Mac leaned over and gave Stella a quick kiss.

"Okay. See you in a bit."

They knocked on the door and exchanged greetings with Maddie and Danny before parting ways, the two women hopping into Stella's car while the two men headed for the subway.

"So where are we going?" Maddie asked curiously.

Stella grinned mischievously. "It's a surprise."

Maddie's eyebrows furrowed. "Should I be worried?"

"If our roles were reversed, I'd be a little wary," Stella grinned, "but you actually don't have to be."

Maddie chuckled. "Now I _am_ worried."

They had only been in the car a short time when Stella turned into a parking structure and parked.

"What are we doing at a police precinct?" Maddie asked, her suspicion growing. "I thought we were goin' out tonight."

"We are," Stella told her. "We're goin' here."

Maddie allowed Stella to lead her through the precinct and up to the door to the roof. "Okay, Stel, you know I like you, but I wasn't exactly thinking we'd spend the evening stargazing on the roof of some building…"

Stella laughed. "Not just any building," she pointed out. "This is the precinct where you and Danny met."

Realization swept over Maddie as the memories flooded back. "Oh my God…the day he arrested Dantrell…"

Stella merely grinned and listen to her friend reminisce.

"Danny picked him up for some gang-related shooting and Dantrell called me…we met in the interrogation room downstairs…"

Stella's grin widened. "And I hear that first meeting was a rousing success."

Maddie laughed. "He hated that I was there. I was interfering with his case."

"But Dantrell wasn't involved, and you encouraged him to help with the investigation."

"And we all lived happily ever after," Maddie chuckled. "But why did you bring me here tonight?"

Stella opened the door to the roof with a flourish. "This is why…"

They stepped out into the cool night air. Strings of tiki lights and Chinese lanterns had been hung all around the rooftop, leading to the "Congratulations Maddie & Danny" banner that friends, relatives, and other guests had signed with their good luck wishes. There was even a DJ Maddie noted with delight—one of her students had hauled his equipment up to provide music for the party.

"What is all this?" Maddie asked, stunned, as she stepped haltingly onto the roof.

"This is your surprise engagement party!" Stella grinned.

"Oh, Stella…you did all this?"

"Well, I had help," she replied. "Shayla and some of your students took care of the decorations, the Lab kicked in for the refreshments, Adam over there volunteered his services so we'd have music, and Mac and I…"

"…were in charge of getting us here," Maddie finished. "What great friends we have!" she smiled, throwing her arms around Stella. "Thank you so much!"

Stella hugged her back. "You're quite welcome."

"But I need you to do me just one more little favor," Maddie told her as she pulled away.

"What's that?"

"You have to be one of my bridesmaids."

Stella was a bit surprised by the request. "Really?"

"Absolutely. You've been one of my best friends since I moved to New York, and heaven knows you've put up with Danny for far longer than most other people…"

Stella laughed at that. "So I guess I've earned it."

"Oh yeah."

"Then I'd be happy to," she smiled.

The two women looked at each other for a moment, then launched into another excited hug.

"What did we miss?" Danny asked, stepping out onto the roof with a sly grin.

Stella and Maddie released each other with a laugh, and the bride-to-be slid her arms around her future husband. "They threw us an engagement party," she informed him as she kissed him hello. "And I talked to Stella about what we discussed…"

"She's in?" he asked, kissing her back.

"She's in."

Mac stood a few steps away, his eyes shifting from the happy couple to Stella, wondering what was going on, but choosing to remain quiet for the moment.

"Should we ask Mac, then, too?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, let's do it now."

They turned to the confused detective, both smiling as Maddie took Danny's arm and squeezed it affectionately.

"Mac, we have a favor to ask of you, too," she began. "And this one's a pretty big thing, so if you want to say no it's okay."

"What do you want to ask me?"

"Well, Danny and I were talking the other night, and we decided we wanted to include you in the wedding ceremony, too, of course," she continued. "Since my father and I are not exactly on speaking terms and I don't have any brothers, we were hoping you would walk me down the aisle." She let go of Danny's arm and moved toward Mac, taking his hand in both of hers. "You introduced us, after all," she winked, "letting me into the interrogation room with Dantrell. It only seems right that you get to be the one that helps seal the deal."

Mac looked from Maddie to Danny. "I…I don't know what to say…"

Danny grinned. "Say yes," he prompted.

The elder detective cleared his throat with an embarrassed look in his eyes. "I would be honored," he managed to get out with a shy smile.

More hugs were exchanged as Maddie slipped her arms around Mac's shoulders. When she released him Danny grabbed his hand and shook it, pulling him into a loose embrace.

"Thanks, Mac," he said softly. "This really means a lot…to both of us."

Mac cleared his throat again in an effort to keep the lump away that threatened to rise up. "It's my pleasure."

Stella found herself unable to be still any longer. "Awww!" she cried. "What a sweet moment!"

The four had a good laugh at that, and the guests of honor began to circulate around the rooftop, visiting with all the people Stella had invited and formalizing the rest of their wedding party as a wide variety of music poured from the DJ's speakers. Danny stole a few minutes alone with Don, who managed to stop grinning like a Cheshire cat long enough to agree to serve as the best man, and with Sheldon, who was equally as pleased to be a groomsman.

There was one other person Danny needed to talk to before the evening was out, and he eventually found the young man visiting with Maddie.

"Hey Mr. Parrish," Dantrell joked as Danny walked over.

"Oh, so that's how it is," Danny returned with a smirk.

Dantrell laughed. "You know every time you go to a function at Eastside, you're gonna be referred to as Miss Parrish's husband."

Danny slid and arm around Maddie and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Yeah, I know," he smiled proudly. "I'm secure enough to handle that."

"Good for you Detective Messer," the boy laughed again and patted Danny on the shoulder. "I should, uh, leave you two alone, though…"

"No, wait a minute," Danny stopped him. "I actually came over to talk to you."

"Not Miss Parrish?"

Danny glanced at Maddie and shared a knowing look with her. "Nope, not this time. I need to ask you somethin'."

Dantrell raised an eyebrow at the detective, but didn't reply.

"See, I need another groomsman, Dantrell. My two best friends are gonna be standin' up there with me, but I'm missin' the man who got Miss Parrish and I together, and that's you."

"Me?"

"Yeah you," Danny teased. "If you hadn't called her when you got in trouble, we never would have met. And," he continued more seriously, "if you weren't such a good kid, so concerned with protecting your family, I wouldn't have ever seen you again…I wouldn't have had a reason to ask about you later on. And I would never have gotten the chance to find out what it's like to have a brother."

As Mac had earlier in the evening, Dantrell found himself getting a little emotional despite his efforts not to. "You think of me as a brother?"

"Yeah," Danny replied softly. "I do. And I want you standing at the alter with me when this beautiful woman walks down the aisle."

Dantrell grinned broadly. "You just try and stop me," he laughed, bouncing over and draping an arm around Danny in an affectionate hug.

A very happy Danny hugged him back, and Maddie laughed delightedly. She opened her mouth to tease her boys, but a voice caught her attention from the direction of the door back to the building.

"I hear Danny Messer proposed to some woman," the female voice called in a heavy Brooklyn accent, "and the poor thing said yes!"

As excited as she was already, Maddie nearly burst when she realized who the voice belonged to.

"Aiden!"

She practically danced over to the former detective and wrapped her in a very emotional bear hug. "What are you doing here?"

Aiden laughed out loud, squeezing her friend tightly. "Stella asked me to come, and I found a good deal on plane tickets, so here I am. Besides," she said, extricating herself from Maddie's grip, "there's no way I was gonna miss your engagement party!"

People began to crowd around, anxious to talk to Aiden, but one person at the party did not move. In fact, he found that he couldn't have moved even if he had wanted to. His muscles froze, and he had difficulty even forming a coherent thought.

Don looked at her from across the rooftop, memories from their relationship flashing before his eyes. He willed himself not to cry in front of all those people, not to get angry and begin yelling, but he needn't have worried. His body flatly refused to respond to any of his brain's commands, except to whisper one word so softly no one else heard him.

"Aiden."


	34. Somethin' to Talk About

He stood rooted to the rooftop, staring at her, unable to tear his eyes away. She was every bit as beautiful as he remembered, perhaps even more so now that some of the fatigue and anxiety had been wiped from her face. He watched her pull a sweater on over her light summer clothes and smiled slightly when Maddie teased her about becoming a southern girl.

_Virginia must be a lot warmer than New York_, he thought dumbly.

Don's eyes followed Aiden as she walked a few feet with some of the other party guests, talking with them, laughing with them, but also a bit distracted, as though she were looking for something.

Or someone.

Finally she caught sight of him, still standing rigidly over by the edge of the roof, alone. She paused mid-stride, the mirthful party smile being replaced by a smaller, more awkward version as her eyes met his. The people standing with her immediately noticed the change and made polite excuses, leaving her to her thoughts.

She took another halting step forward, the apprehension building up in her heart at the thought of talking to Don again. She wanted to, more than she had ever wanted anything in her life. But what if he wouldn't talk to her? What if he was still angry with her?

Don saw her hesitate and his instincts kicked in, moving him forward as if to reassure her the way he used to do. He took only a few steps before he remembered that he no longer had that right, but it was enough of a sign to Aiden to bring her the rest of the way across the rooftop.

She stood only a few feet from him and looked up into his brilliant blue eyes. "Hi," was all she managed.

"Hi," he squeaked back, relieved that she had spoken first. "How…how have you been?"

"I'm good," she replied softly. "Well, mostly good. I, uh, I…oh Don, I want to talk to you so much, but not here…"

"Downstairs," he told her, still having difficulty forming words. "Interrogation room."

She nodded and followed him across the roof and through the door.

Danny, standing with Maddie on the other side of the roof, let out a low whistle. "That's gonna be…"

"Intense?" she finished. "You ain't kiddin'."

* * *

Inside the precinct, Don and Aiden found an empty interrogation room and slipped in unnoticed, hoping that any personnel that might happen across them would have the decency not to turn on the intercom. They sat down at the table across from each other as they had done so often in the line of duty. This time, though, Aiden knew she was the one about to be interrogated.

For a few moments they just looked at each other, Aiden not knowing what to say and Don unable to articulate his thoughts. When he finally opened his mouth to speak, she knew what he was going to ask.

"You want to know why, don't you?" she asked. "Why I just took off and left, why I didn't say anything to you, why I never told you how I was feeling…"

He closed his mouth, pressing his lips together and nodding.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I did it because I love you, Don. I…I thought I was protecting you…"

"Protecting me?" he responded, finding his voice. "From what?"

Her gaze shifted to the table and she clasped her hands together in an effort to keep them from shaking. "From me," she said softly. "I thought I had everything under control, that the job wasn't affecting me any more than it affected anyone else." She frowned, forcing herself to look into his eyes. "I was wrong. But by the time I figured that out, it was too late."

"No, Aiden," he told her, "it was never too late. Even if you were ready to go, bags packed, taxi waiting outside, it was still possible for us to be together…to be happy together…" He rose from his chair and began pacing around the small room. "All you had to do was _say_ something!" he exclaimed, his voice rising in volume as months of pent up frustration and anger began to find an outlet. "I would have done whatever it took, and if that meant you needed to leave for a while, I'd have understood! But you didn't trust me enough to talk to me about what you were feeling…you just crawled away like some sewer rat! And even then you could've talked to me. You could've called, or e-mailed, or written, or sent me a goddamned smoke signal, Aiden, but you didn't!"

"I'm sorry," she whispered, staring down at her hands. Her knuckles were turning white from the strength of her grip, but she couldn't let them go. "I'm so sorry…"

"You're sorry," he repeated. "You're sorry? You tore my heart into little shreds and all you can say is you're sorry?"

A tear slid down her cheek, and though she willed herself not to cry she knew it was a losing battle. "I knew I would hurt you when I left," she explained in a wavering voice. "But I knew I'd hurt you so much more if I stayed, and I couldn't do that to you. I thought I was doing what was best. I loved you so much, Don…I…I still do…"

She buried her face in her hands, unable to stop the tears as they flowed steadily down her cheeks. He ceased his pacing and looked at her, feeling his own eyes becoming wet. She was shaking hard now, trying to choke back her sobs and keep herself under control, but was failing miserably.

Acting on impulse, he moved toward her, kneeling down beside her chair and sliding his arm around her. She turned into him, allowing him to pull her up out of the chair and hold her tightly against him. No words passed between them for a long time. They just stood in the interrogation room, holding each other, crying together, letting out all the anger and guilt they had both felt for so long.

* * *

Upstairs on the roof, the party continued. Adam the DJ kept the mood light and fun with a wide variety of music while people danced and ate and talked. Maddie and Danny saw little of each other, each being pulled in a different direction by a different group of friends demanding their attention.

They were standing on opposite sides of the roof yet again when Danny noticed something usual. Having seen it several times earlier in the evening, he was beginning to wonder if his mind was playing tricks on him. He knew, though, that if he saw it, Maddie had seen it too, and so he made some excuse to the people he was standing with and stalked across the building toward her.

"Hey guys," he smiled as he reached the little knot of people that had engulfed her. "Mind if I borrow my fiancée for a few minutes?"

The women in the group giggled as Danny reached out his hand for Maddie's. She took it with a grin. "Duty calls," she said. When they were a safe distance away, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks babe. I love our friends and family and my kids, but yikes! If I have to answer another question about the color of bridesmaids' dresses or the food we're serving at the reception I'm gonna scream!"

He laughed and kissed her gently as they walked slowly around the perimeter of the rooftop. "And we haven't even set a date yet."

She heaved a melodramatic sigh. "I _know_."

He laughed again and squeezed her hand, stopping to lean against the ledge in a more secluded spot. "Hey, can I ask you somethin'?"

"For the thousandth time, no. We are _not_ going to the Baseball Hall of Fame on our honeymoon," she teased.

He looked hurt momentarily, but shook it off quickly. "No, not that. Somethin' funny's goin' on here and I can't figure out what it is."

"What do you mean?"

His eyes flickered toward his boss. "Mac. And Stella."

Maddie's breath caught in her throat. She never minded spilling all her secrets to Danny, but this one wasn't hers to spill. "What about them?" she asked as coolly as she could.

"They have some secret between 'em," he told her. "I don't know what it is, but I can tell. Stella's been walkin' around lookin' like she's gonna burst any minute if she doesn't get it out, and Mac keeps lookin' at her…" His voice trailed off as his brain made a connection. "Mac," he continued more quietly, "keeps lookin' at her the way I look at you."

The expression on Maddie's face betrayed her to the man that knew her best.

"Are they…together?" he asked, lowering his voice even further and leaning in close to her.

She nodded her head. "They've been seeing each other for a while now, but they didn't want anybody to know. Mac's the head of the Lab and Stella technically works for him…"

Danny smiled and brushed a hand across her cheek. "It's okay," he assured her. "I just can't believe I didn't see it sooner. It's my job to catch things no one else sees…"

She slid her arms around his shoulders and grinned. "And you're very good at it. You just didn't know there was something there to look for, that's all."

He chuckled. "And my attention hasn't exactly been focused on other women…"

"Good," Maddie laughed. "Just as it should be."

* * *

When the tears finally dried up, Don and Aiden drew apart and looked at each other, both wondering the same thing.

"What now?" Don asked.

Aiden took in a shaky breath. "I guess it's up to you," she told him. "I—I want you in my life, Don, but it's your call."

He stared at her hard for a few moments, knowing what he felt and what he wanted. "Listen, Aiden," he began, "I was—still am—really angry with you, and it's gonna take me some time to get over that."

She bowed her head and nodded silently.

"But even as much as you hurt me, I still love you," he continued. "And I don't want to lose you again. I don't know if things will ever be the way they were, but I know I'll never forgive myself if we don't at least try."

Hope shone in her eyes as she lifted her face. "Really?"

"We'll have to take things really slow, probably for quite a while," he cautioned. "I have to learn to trust you again, and you have to learn to confide in me. Neither of those things will be easy."

"And I'm going back to Virginia in a couple of days," she added.

He thought for a minute. "Maybe we could try being pen pals for a while?"

She smirked at him a little in spite of herself. "Pen pals?"

"Yeah. Or e-mail pals, whatever. I think it's a good place to start."

Her smile softened, relieved that he was willing to communicate with her at all. "Okay."

They left the interrogation room much calmer than they had entered, and though they knew there would be many questions to be answered at the party, neither one cared. They had finally talked to each other, and that was all that mattered.

They headed back to the party, passing Mac and Maddie conversing animatedly as they moved across the rooftop.

"You're sure you don't mind?" Mac was asking. "This is your party and the focus should be on you, not me."

"Of course I don't mind!" Maddie grinned happily. "I can see how excited you are just talking about it."

"And you're sure it'll be okay with her, too?"

"Without a doubt," she agreed. "You'll see."

He took a deep breath. "It's not a big gesture, but okay. Let's do it."

Maddie squealed a little like an overwrought teenager and had to force herself not to sprint over to the DJ booth. "Hey Adam!" she called over the music. "I need a favor…"

Mac moved in the opposite direction, seeking out one person in particular. He smiled at her almost slyly when he found her, waiting for the current song to end.

"Mac Taylor, what are you up to?" Stella asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

His grin only widened. "You'll see."

The song ended, and a new one took its place. Strains of funky guitar rhythms oozed from the speakers accompanied by Bonnie Raitt's throaty voice.

_People are talking, talking 'bout people_

_I hear them whisper, you won't believe it _

_They think we're lovers kept under cover_

_I just ignore it, but they keep saying_

Stella looked at Mac, the confusion plainly written on her face. "What's going on?"

He took her hand in his, all traces of his ever-present shyness evaporating into the music. "Dance with me."

She allowed him to lead her out to the part of the rooftop that had been designated as the dance floor and rested her free hand on his shoulder. He slid his arm around her waist and held her close against him, closer, in fact, than he had ever held her in public.

_We laugh just a little too loud_

_We stand just a little too close_

_We stare just a little too long_

_Maybe they're seeing something we don't, darlin'_

He twirled her expertly around the other dancing couples, that sly, knowing smile still firmly planted on his lips.

_Let's give them something to talk about_

_Let's give them something to talk about_

_Let's give them something to talk about_

_How about lo-o-ove_

Stella let out a surprised laughed as he dipped her slightly. "Wow, where'd this come from?"

"I realized I was being selfish, asking you to keep our relationship a secret," he told her. "I was worried about what the higher-ups in the department would think."

"That's a legitimate concern, though," she returned. "Neither one of us wants to compromise the integrity of the lab…"

"But we aren't," he reminded her. "And seeing Maddie and Danny together, so happy…and Aiden and Don when they were together here, they worked together while they dated…"

_I feel so foolish, I never noticed_

_You'd act so nervous, could you be falling for me_

_It took a rumor to make me wonder_

_Now I'm convinced I'm going under_

He spun her around again gracefully, pulling her closer, his grin widening.

"What's gotten into you?" she asked, wondering if she were dreaming.

_Thinking 'bout you every day_

_Dreaming 'bout you every night_

_I'm hoping that you feel the same way_

_Now that we know it, let's really show it, darlin'_

"I love you Stella, and I don't care who knows it," he told her joyfully.

She smiled brilliantly, her fingers threading through his dark hair. "Then let's give 'em somethin' to talk about…"

Her lips found his in a soft kiss, eliciting a round of enthusiastic applause accompanied by whistles and catcalls.

Maddie leaned against Danny, snuggling closer to him as they stood against the ledge of the roof. "He did it!"

"We CSIs are getting braver when it comes to women," Danny chuckled.

On the other side of the building, Aiden stood beside Don, her fingers barely touching his, and smiled gently.

_Let's give them something to talk about_

_A little mystery to figure out_

_Let's give them something to talk about_

_How about love, love, love, love_


	35. Married to the Mob

"Good afternoon, Mr. Utzieli."

"Paulie, Mikey," the elderly gentleman called as Paul Messer and Michael Sassone entered his living room. "Have a seat."

The two men shook hands with the head of the family and sat nervously on the edge of the couch.

"You wanted to see us?" Danny's father asked.

"I did," Mr. Utzieli nodded. "I have some disturbing news to share with you."

"What news is that?" Michael asked as calmly as he could. News delivered by the boss was never good.

The old man shifted in his chair. "It seems that young Danny has felt compelled recently to share details regarding a little incident from several years ago."

Both men knew without being told that he was referring to the murder cover up they had involved Danny in, and glanced at each other anxiously.

"He told that girl, didn't he?" Paul asked, his voice tinged with anger.

Mr. Utzieli nodded again. "Yes, and he's told that boss of his, too…Detective Taylor." Paul turned pale and Michael frowned, but the elderly man ignored them and continued sternly, "You know why he did that, don't you?"

Neither of the younger men spoke.

"He did it because you forced him to," Mr. Utzieli told them pointedly. "I've known Danny his entire life, and even after he joined the police force I knew he would never tell a soul about his dealings with this family. He's too smart to bring any of that up now—that was the deal when he left, and Danny was always a man of his word. But the two of you," he stabbed a finger in the direction of his two captains, "went and threatened him, backed him into a corner."

"We only wanted him to come back," Michael replied quietly. "He could have taken over for O'Reilly after he got pinched…"

"I agree," the older man said. "But you know as well as I do, Mikey, that if Danny comes back to the family it will be because he wants to. You can't force him."

"We just…" Paul began.

Mr. Utzieli held up a hand, cutting him off. "If you continue to threaten Danny, he's going to turn on you and he's going to bring the NYPD with him. If that happens," the head of the family lowered his voice and leaned forward in his chair, "I don't know you."

Michael and Paul dared not look at each other, so both dropped their gazes to their feet.

"Are we clear gentlemen?"

Eyes were lifted to meet the stare of the boss. "Yes sir," both men answered simultaneously.

"That's all."

Paul and Michael rose from the couch and said their polite good-byes, shuffling out of the house quietly.

Once outside, Paul turned to Michael. "The old man's getting senile, Mikey. He thinks Danny's gonna keep his mouth shut."

"He might have anyway, Paulie," Michael returned, "if we had just left him alone."

"But now that Parrish girl knows, and Taylor…he could be a problem."

Michael stopped walking and turned to Paul. "You're not saying we should take care of Taylor…"

Paul shook his head. "No, not an NYPD detective unless we have to. But my boy Danny needs to be taught a lesson. Loyalty lies with your family."

* * *

"Hey Mac," Don called, flipping his note pad shut as he walked into Mac's office. When he glanced up he saw Stella sitting beside Mac at his desk. "Oh, uh, sorry. I can come back later…"

Stella grinned. "Nothing's happening, Flack," she promised, rising from her chair and walking around the desk. "What's up?"

"I was looking for Danny," he explained. "But he's obviously not in here…"

"Is there something I can do for you?" Mac asked.

Don blushed a little. "It was personal, Mac. Don't worry about it."

"Personal?" Stella asked.

"Well, I wanted to ask him a few questions about the bachelor party…"

She rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

Mac chuckled. "Come on Stella, don't tell me you ladies aren't throwing a bachelorette party for Maddie."

She pressed her lips together. "That's beside the point…"

Mac laughed. "Did you need anything else, Don?"

"Nope, that was it…oh, wait, yeah. Aiden said to tell you both hi," he responded, the color creeping back into his cheeks.

"How are things going between the two of you?" Stella asked.

"After the 'conversation' we had at the engagement party and the long talk we had before she went back to Virginia, things settled down a bit."

"And e-mailing her doesn't seem strange to you now, after the relationship you used to have?" Mac wondered.

"It was awkward at first," Don admitted. "We just didn't know what to say to each other, so we ended up asking about the weather and mutual friends and things like that."

"Safe subjects," Stella agreed.

Don nodded. "Right. But now we're getting a little more comfortable with each other again. In fact," he glanced down at his watch and smiled, "I have a date with her in a few hours."

Stella wrinkled her forehead in thought. "How do you have a date with Aiden if she's in Virginia and you're in New York?"

"It's a phone date," Don grinned. "It'll be the first time I've heard her voice since she went back."

Stella and Mac exchanged smothered smiles. "That's great news," he told the younger detective. "I hope things work out for the two of you."

"Right back at ya," Don winked. Out of the corner of his eyes he noticed Danny walking past the office and ducked out the door. "Hey Danny…do we want to go to the Pussycat Lounge or Barely There…"

* * *

Maddie walked out through the parking lot at school after another long day and sighed.

"You okay, Miss Parrish?" Shayla asked, walking beside her.

Maddie smiled at the girl. "Just tired."

"Me too," Shayla agreed. "Mr. Adams is working us to death in Algebra II."

Maddie laughed. "He does like to pile it on, doesn't he?"

They were halfway to the car when a voice stopped them. "Madeline Messer?"

"Not yet," she grinned as she turned. When she saw the man who had called her name, the smiled died on her lips. The family resemblance was clear, and she immediately knew who she was dealing with even though she had never met him. "Paul Messer."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he replied.

Maddie noticed the holster-shaped bulge under his coat and patted Shayla on the arm. "I left my lesson plan book on my desk, Shayla. Could you run back inside and get it for me?"

"But Miss Parrish, you finished your lesson plans…"

Maddie shook her head faintly and shot the girl a do-as-I-say look. "Go on and grab it for me."

Shayla nodded and ran back to the school building and the safety of the armed security guards that protected it.

"Cute girl," Paul said without taking his eyes off Maddie. "Too bad her step-father is a mobster."

"What do you want?" she asked, ignoring the comment.

Paul smiled. "You're not even gonna ask about the mob remark?"

"I know all I need to know about that," she informed him. "There isn't anything you can tell me about Danny's past that's going to scare me away."

"Oh really?" Paul asked, his smile growing. "What if I told you that what you thought was in the past is still very much in the present?"

Maddie raised an eyebrow. "What?"

He nodded. "Danny told you about how he _used_ to be connected right? Well, he sort of fibbed a little."

She shook her head. "That's not true."

"Of course it is!" he exclaimed happily. "My Danny's as smart as they come, and he's climbed up ladder quite nicely. He'll deny it if you ask him, sure, because he doesn't want you to know what kind of man he really is. He knows that you'd leave him if you ever found out he was still involved."

Maddie stood still, unable to speak.

"You accepted it when he told you what he'd done in the past right? Because he swore to you that he was out, he was done with us. And he won't testify against us in court, either. Ask him. He'll tell you it's for his safety—for _your_ safety—but really it's because he's still one of us."

One of the security guards came into view, tipped off by Shayla's reappearance in the school building. "Everything okay here?" he asked in a stern voice.

Paul decided he had shaken Maddie up enough for now. "Everything's fine, sir," he told the security guard. "I was just talking to my future daughter-in-law here."

"That true?" the guard asked Maddie.

She pressed her lips together and frowned, not wanting to involve any of the school personnel in a Mafia-related affair. "It doesn't matter. He was just leaving."

"I was, yes," Paul agreed. "It was good to see you, sweetheart."

He smiled pleasantly and turned on his heel, walking quickly back to his car. Maddie stood with the guard and watched Paul go, waiting until he had cleared the perimeter of campus.

"We're going to start walking you out to your car again, Maddie," the security guard told her. "I can tell by the look on your face that guy's trouble."

She sighed. "I'm not going to fight you this time, either," she replied. "But Shayla's going to need an escort, too, when she's not with me."

He nodded. "We'll take care of it."

Another guard brought Shayla out to the car, where she climbed into the passenger seat beside Maddie. They said their thank-yous and good-byes to the guards and headed home, speeding quickly though traffic as Maddie tried to forget Paul's words.

…_he's still one of us…_


	36. Trust

"You know," Stella smiled, "I really enjoy having these 'family dinners'. I'm glad we all got a break at the same time tonight."

Mac, sitting beside her, took her hand and squeezed it affectionately, touching off a chorus of "awww" from around the table. Sheldon and Don, the only two singles at the table, looked at each other and smiled wryly.

Danny winked at Maddie and Shayla, proclaiming, "I'm glad I'm not that whipped. What happened to the daring Mac that kissed Stella in front of everybody at our engagement party?"

Shayla giggled and Danny flinched, waiting for the inevitable swat from his fiancée, but it didn't come.

Instead, Maddie only half-smiled. "Leave them alone, Danny," she chided gently.

"That all you got tonight?" he asked, his tone softening even as he teased her.

Her smile grew a bit and she patted his shoulder. "For now."

Sheldon laughed out loud. "Uh-oh, Danny."

"You're gonna get it later," Don chimed in with a grin.

Danny smiled crookedly. "Yeah, probably. But you know I love you, right babe?" he asked, brushing his lips against the soft skin of Maddie's cheek.

Another round of "awww" sounded around the table in the little diner.

"I thought you weren't that whipped," Mac winked.

* * *

Later that night, Danny and Maddie said their good-nights to Shayla and tiredly readied themselves for bed. Maddie's mood was still subdued, and Danny was beginning to worry. His mind ran through the possibilities as he stripped off his work clothes and pulled back the covers.

"Don't forget to stop by the hardware store tomorrow," she reminded him, "so we can paint Shayla's room this weekend."

_Oh, so that's what this is about, _he thought. _She's been so quiet because we're repainting the nursery._

"No problem," he assured her. "She wanted that sort of light purple shade, right?"

"Lilac," Maddie confirmed, crawling into bed beside him.

He wrapped an arm around her and drew her to him, kissing her hair. "We'll probably need a couple of coats to cover the green," he told her gently, wanting to comfort her but not knowing what to say.

"Yeah," she nodded, laying her head on his shoulder. Her hand traveled slowly over his chest, absently tracing the outlines of his muscles as her mind replayed Paul's visit to her in the parking lot at school.

_...he's still one of us…_

"Danny, when was the last time you saw your family?" she asked quietly.

He frowned and wrinkled his forehead, trying to figure out both the answer to her question and why she was asking it. "It's been a while," he responded. "I haven't heard from my brother since before I met you, and I've seen my father once in the last five or six years."

"Just once?"

"Yeah, the day Michael Sassone came to your classroom. I stopped by my father's house on the way home that night."

"Why?" she asked.

"To tell him to leave us alone," Danny replied pointedly. "I knew he was the one that sent Michael to try and intimidate you."

"And that's it?"

"Yeah." He hooked a finger under her chin, lifting her eyes to his. "How come you're asking about my family all of a sudden?"

"Just thinkin' about the wedding," she told him with a twinge of guilt. It wasn't a lie exactly because she _was_ thinking about the wedding a little, but she had never kept any part of the truth from him before and she felt bad about doing it now. "Are you going to invite any of them to the ceremony?"

He frowned. "Not my father, that's for damn sure."

"What about your brother?" she asked, propping herself up on her elbows.

He hesitated. "I don't know…"

"Maybe you should think about it," she responded, absently playing with the chain he always wore around his neck. "He's your brother, and I know you care about him. I can hear it in your voice when you talk about him."

"What about _your_ father?" he countered. "I know you still care about _him_, even though you haven't spoken to him in…how long has it been?"

It was Maddie's turn to frown. "Since his second wife called me an ungrateful bitch in front of him and he did nothing…'bout five or six years for me, too."

Danny slid a hand down her back. "I bet he'd like to be there when his daughter gets married, though."

"Okay, I'll make you a deal," she decided. "I'll invite my dad if you invite your brother."

"Assuming neither of them screws up again between now and the wedding," he added.

"Right."

He pressed his lips together, but nodded slowly. "All right, deal."

She lay back down against his chest and resumed her slow tracing, pausing when her fingers found a rough patch of tissue near his left shoulder. Her mind flashed back to the day it happened, the day he was shot trying to prevent the robbery of a jewelry store. She had almost lost him that day, before she could tell him how much she loved him. Now she lay beside him, his mother's engagement ring on her left hand, and knew that she still loved him as much as she had then, perhaps more. But was he lying to her? Was he still involved with the Utzielis?

* * *

"Hey Stella," Maddie called, entering the lobby of the Crime Lab. "Mac around?"

"What makes you think I know where Mac is?" Stella asked, trying to sound defensive but not quite succeeding.

Maddie grinned. "Same reason why everyone always asks me how Danny's doing after a tough case if the girlfriend doesn't know, no one does. And you work with him, so…"

Stella chuckled. "Good point. I just left him in his office. I'd walk you back, but I'm on my way out…"

"No problem," Maddie smiled, spying a lab tech she knew. "Zach will be happy to do it."

The tech grinned and offered his arm to her, escorting her to Mac's office where she found him standing in front of the window, uncharacteristically avoiding work.

"Hey Mac," she smiled, biding Zach good-bye and knocking on the open door.

He turned and smiled. "Hey Maddie. Looking for Danny?"

"Actually, no, I'm looking for you," she told him, stepping inside. "I…I need your advice."

"That's a coincidence," he replied. "I need yours."

"Stella?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but you first."

Her smile turned to a frown as she closed the office door and found a seat in one of the chairs near his desk. "I think Danny may have lied to me about his family."

Mac wrinkled his forehead. "What?"

"His father came to see me at school…waited for me in the parking lot, actually. Probably couldn't get passed the security guards with the piece he was carrying."

"Danny's father came to see you…and he was armed?" he asked incredulously.

Maddie nodded. "He told me Danny was still involved with the Utzielis, and had 'climbed up the ladder nicely' as he put it."

"And Danny says he's been out since he graduated high school."

She nodded again. "I don't know what to think, Mac. If he _is_ lying, then he and I will have words. But then, it isn't just the two of us anymore…we have Shayla, now, too, and she's gotten so attached to Danny. She just adores him, but if what his father says is true…"

"Yeah," Mac agreed. "Well, what about your gut instincts…what are they telling you?"

"I don't know…Paul Messer certainly has motive to lie to me. But if Danny's still involved, he does too…"

Mac thought for a moment, then sat down beside her. "You could have asked anyone about this…why did you come to me?"

"You're the only one who knows about his family, Mac. If Danny's telling me the truth, I don't want to get him in trouble with the law or with the Utzielis…"

"Exactly," he said. "If you believed he was lying to you, would you still be trying to protect him?"

Maddie looked down at her hands. "Probably not," she responded.

"So by coming to see me, your instincts are trying to tell you to believe Danny."

She sighed. "I guess so."

"But you're still not sure."

She shook her head.

"Have you talked to him yet?" When she shook her head again, he nodded. "There you go. Talk to Danny. Tell him about his father's visit to you and see what he says, how he reacts. Let your instincts decide if he's telling the truth."

She looked up at him and smiled a small smile. "You always know just what to do, don't you?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Except when it comes to Stella's birthday…"

She laughed. "And this is where I come in…"

* * *

The next day, Maddie found a large manila envelope in her mail slot at school, marked only with her name and school.

"Must be the article I asked the Science Coordinator for," she mumbled to herself as she meandered down the hall. She opened the rest of her mail on the way back to her classroom, dropping it on her desk when she arrived and slitting the flap of the last one.

What she pulled out, though, was not the article she had expected, but a series of photographs of Danny. They began with him entering a house in a neighborhood she'd never been to, and ended with him leaving, bidding farewell to an elderly gentleman she had never seen before. A note accompanied the pictures:

_I told you he was still involved, but don't take my word for it. Ask Mr. Utzieli…_

* * *

She waited up for him that night, sitting on the couch the way a jilted lover waits for a cheating partner angry and confused, and wondering if it was all just a bad dream.

"Hey babe," he said tiredly as he came through the door. He dropped his bag and kicked off his shoes, heading toward the bedroom before he realized she hadn't responded. "Everything okay?"

"You tell me," she replied, rising from the couch and handing him the pictures. "Is that the Utzieli house?"

He glanced at the photos and frowned. "Yeah."

"And is that you conversing pleasantly with Vincenzo Utzieli, the head of the family?" she asked flatly.

"I wouldn't exactly call it pleasant," he tried, smiling a bit. Her expression didn't budge and he became serious again. "Yes, I was talking to him."

"The time stamp on the pictures says they were taken yesterday. You went to go see him last night, didn't you?"

"Where's Shayla?" he asked, not wanting to have this discussion in front of her.

"At a friend's house," Maddie returned. "I didn't want her to hear this." She paused, then looked up into his eyes and asked again, "Did you go to see Mr. Utzieli last night?"

"Yes," he said quietly.

"Then no, everything isn't okay because you lied to me, Danny." She turned away from him and walked to the window, leaning against the sill and looking out over the city.

"I have never lied to you," he told her, feeling himself becoming defensive. "Ever."

She turned from the window. "You told me you were out, done…that you weren't involved anymore. Then your father comes to Eastside and tells me you're not only involved but thriving!"

"My father?" he asked, confused. "He came to see you? You didn't listen to him, did you? You didn't _believe_ him…"

She frowned. "I wasn't sure," she said honestly. "But I decided I'd at least ask you about it. Before I could I got those…"

He crossed the room as she turned back to the window, standing behind her and gently sliding a large hand over her arm. "Maddie, no, you got it all wrong…"

She shrugged him off. "Were you there?"

"Yeah, but it's not what you think."

She faced him, hurt replacing the anger in her face. "What am I supposed to think? What else could it be?" she asked softly.

"It was the first time I'd talked to him since I left," he told her, making a point of looking her in the eye. "I figured something was going on when you started asking me about my family again the other night, so I went to see Mr. Utzieli to ask him about it."

She studied his face as he spoke, trying to decide if he was telling her the truth. "And what did he say?"

"He said that my father wanted to come after us because I told Mac about my past. He warned my father not to, because if I was still in the good graces of the Department, then I could make life very hard for them."

"He told your father to back off?" Maddie asked, surprised.

Danny nodded. "Mr. Utzieli is a business man, and he knows that if they leave us alone, I'll keep my mouth shut."

"But they aren't leaving us alone," she protested.

"My _father_ isn't leaving us alone," he corrected. "Which is what I found out last night. Michael and Sonny Sassone might be involved, too, but the rest of the family has nothin' to do with it."

She looked at him questioningly, wanting to believe him, but still unsure.

He took a step closer to her and squeezed her arm gently, protectively, reading the expression on her face. "I'm going to testify against them," he said quietly. "Against my father and Michael and Sonny. Between that and the forensics, we'll have enough to make sure they spend the rest of their lives in prison."

She wavered some more, remembering another of Paul's comments. …_he won't testify against us in court, either…_

"What about the rest of the family?" she asked. "Won't they come after you?"

He shook his head, moving his hands to her hips as he took another step closer. "Mr. Utzieli and I have an understanding. I'm only givin' up those three, and the Utzielis will respect our space."

"I thought you'd never flip on a family member."

Danny shook his head. "He might be my father, but you and Shayla are my family. Doing this keeps you safe."

The love in his eyes was unmistakable, and she knew he was telling the truth. Her arms went around his shoulders and she drew him to her, squeezing her eyes shut as she held him.

"You _did_ try to lie to me once," she pointed out, opening her eyes when she pulled away.

"What? When?"

She grinned. "When you tried to surprise me with those Rangers tickets for my birthday," she reminded him. "Your body language practically screamed 'I have a secret' before you even bought 'em."

"I can't hide things from you," he smiled. He became more serious and added, "I don't want to."

She leaned up and kissed him softly, smiling the small smile his kisses always brought to her lips. "Me either."


	37. Promise Made,Promise Kept,Promise Broken

A/N: After watching "Trapped" a couple of weeks ago I developed a serious crush on the new coroner, and so he ended up with a little cameo here. Enjoy!

* * *

He was young looking and definitely handsome, a roguish smile on his lips as he spoke. "What's a beautiful woman like you doing in a place like this?" 

Maddie giggled in spite of herself. "I'm looking for Sheldon Hawkes," she replied, leaning against the reception counter at the morgue. "Is he here?"

"Sheldon? Really? You're not Sarah, are you?"

She shook her head. "Nope—just a friend, not the girlfriend."

He came around the counter, his smile widening. "Would this friend like to have dinner with me Friday night?"

Sheldon laughed, catching the proposal as he emerged from the restricted parts of the office. "You're not gonna get anywhere with her, Marty," he called.

"I think the lady can speak for herself," he replied, waiving a hand dismissively at Sheldon.

"She can," Maddie grinned, "but her fiancé may not like the dinner thing."

Sheldon laughed again as his colleague's face fell. "I told you."

"Well, now that she's shot me down, can you introduce us?"

Sheldon laughed again as he made the introductions. "Dr. Marty Pino, meet Maddie Parrish."

Marty took her hand and squeezed it affectionately, flashing his brilliant smile again.

"Soon to be Messer," Maddie added for fun.

He clasped her hand to his chest, a pained expression on his face. "Messer? What? No!"

"Yes," she laughed, taking her hand back. "But I have a sister you should meet. You two are perfect for each other." Marty arched his eyebrows, intrigued, but Maddie didn't elaborate. Instead she turned to Sheldon. "Ready?"

He nodded. "All set." He threw one last grin at Marty and followed Maddie out the door. "You sure you want to do this?" he asked her quietly.

They climbed into the car and she nodded. "Yeah. I haven't seen him since the trial, and I couldn't talk to him then. This is something I gotta do."

"And Danny's okay with you doing it?"

She nodded. "He understands, I think, but it's too hard for him to come with me." She reached over and squeezed his shoulder. "But I'm glad you could."

"My pleasure," he smiled.

They rode along for the majority of the trip making comfortable conversation, but as they approached Fishkill Correctional Facility, Maddie became quiet. They parked in the lot the gate guards had directed them to and headed into the building.

"You ever been here before?" Sheldon asked as they signed in.

Maddie nodded. "In the short time I've been in New York I've had four kids sent up here, and I come up to visit them once in a while."

"But today is different," he replied.

She nodded again. "Today is different."

He took her hand in both of his, trying to impart strength through his touch. "I'll wait for you out here."

"Okay."

She squeezed back and tried to smile before allowing a guard to lead her into the visiting room. She found a seat and waited for him to come out, twisting her engagement ring nervously.

Finally he appeared.

"Luis," she said softly as he sat down opposite her.

He was surprised to see her. "Miss Parrish…what are you doing here?"

Her eyes swept over him as she spoke, taking in his still-boyish face, his dark brown eyes, and the tattoo newly etched into his forearm. "I wanted to see you," she told him. "I needed to talk to you before the wedding."

"Wedding?"

"Detective Messer and I are getting married in a couple of months," she smiled. "And I needed to tell you something before we do."

His face fell, knowing what he was about to hear would not be pleasant.

"I want to forgive you, Luis," Maddie whispered. She looked down at her hands, unable to make eye contact with the convict who had once been her student. "I…I'm trying to…and it's very hard…you almost killed Detective Messer, and I can't ever forget that…"

Her voice was becoming shaky, and tears formed in his eyes as he relived the fateful night in his mind. "I'm so sorry…" he returned hoarsely.

"I know you are," she nodded. "And I'm proud of you for taking responsibility for what you did. But I was angry with you, too, for the longest time…for hurting my family… I thought I had taught you better than that…"

A tear slid down his cheek. "You did," he assured her in a strong voice. "I made a mistake in that jewelry store—a big one—and I'm paying for it now. But," he lowered his voice and looked her squarely in the eye, "I swear to you Miss Parrish, I will never make a mistake like that again. I'm gonna try as hard as I can to be the man you always told me I could be."

Pride and affection mixed with the anger and hurt she had been feeling, and she smiled gently at him. "I always thought you were one of the special ones," she told him. "Now I know I was right."

They sat for a moment, just looking at each other, letting some of the tension bleed away before Luis spoke again. "Miss Parrish? I know…it won't…be easy…but… Do you think you might come visit me again sometime?"

"You're right, it won't be easy," she agreed. "But I'll make you a deal. As long as you stay on the straight and narrow, I'll come up and visit."

He smiled, his face taking on the pleased expression he used to have whenever he did well on an assignment. "You got it."

They talked for a few minutes more before a guard came out to lead Luis back to his cell. Maddie took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she rejoined Sheldon in the lobby.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

"He's growing up," she answered softly. "He's decided to make an honest man of himself." She paused and smiled wistfully. "Danny would be proud."

* * *

Danny paced the hallway in front of the courtroom, trying to reassure himself that he was doing the right thing as he waited his turn to testify. 

"It's only the Grand Jury," he told himself.

A little voice in his head replied, _But you're testifying in open court…then everyone will know…there's no going back…_

"I have to keep Maddie and Shayla safe," he returned out loud.

"Talkin' to yourself, eh?" a voice called.

Danny turned around to find Mac half-smiling at him.

"Just don't start answering yourself," the elder detective winked. Then he became more serious. "Waiting to testify?"

Danny nodded and rubbed his hands together. "Yeah. Gonna air all the family laundry on Court TV," he frowned.

"No," Mac told him, "you're not. No one will know who you are."

Danny wrinkled his forehead. "What?"

"I called in a favor," Mac explained. "No cameras, no reporters, not even a sketch artist will be allowed in the courtroom while you're on the stand, and you'll only be referred to as John Doe in the transcripts."

Danny shrugged. "Thanks, Mac, but I'll have to testify at the trial, too. Someone's gonna find out sooner or later who I am and what I was, and then…well, there goes my job…"

Mac shook his head again. "Nope. The media blackout will be in effect at the trial, too. You're a good CSI Danny, and a good cop. I'd hate to lose you, to see your career ruined by some small-minded higher-up who can't see what you're trying to do here. And I'd hate for Maddie or Shayla to come to any harm because you're trying to correct a past mistake."

Danny looked at his superior, confusion written all over his face. "But what if it does come out? What if," he glanced around the hallway and lowered his voice, "what if someone finds out what I was a part of? Every bad guy I ever helped put away is gonna say I falsified reports, that I planted evidence, that I was somehow responsible for their conviction because of who I was…and the judges are gonna believe them…"

Mac frowned. "I don't have all the answers, Danny. All I know is that you're trying to right a wrong, to protect your family. There's honor in that. So anything I can do to help, I'll do. If or when your past ties come up, we'll find a way to deal with it."

"You're sure about this." It was more of a question than a statement, but Danny want to be absolutely certain he had heard correctly.

This time Mac nodded. "I'm sure. You do what you have to do."

Danny lowered his eyes and shuffled his feet. "Thanks, Mac. I won't let you down."

The courtroom door opened up and a bailiff poked his head out into the hallway. "Detective Messer?"

Danny looked up. "Yeah?"

"You're up."

He threw a glance at Mac, half grateful, half determined, as he made his way into the courtroom. Mac met his eyes and nodded faintly, watching him go.

"I know you won't."

* * *

Later that day, Danny found himself in yet another courtroom, this time at the other end of the building in the Juvenile Court wing. He sat beside Maddie near the back of the small room, holding her hand and trying to send supportive thoughts to Shayla, who was seated in front of them with her social worker. 

"We are here today to re-visit the issue of the parental rights of LaQuanda Green in regards to the minor child Shayla Green," the judge began, glancing over the case file in front of her.

The prosecutor quickly outlined his case against Shayla's natural mother, detailing the lack of care of her daughter, her inability to hold a steady job, and her recent conviction on drug charges. The defense attorney also recapped his previous argument in favor of his client, trying desperately to convince the judge that she should be allowed to keep custody of Shayla.

"Who is the representative from DCFS?" the judge asked.

The social worker stood and explained Shayla's current situation with Maddie and Danny, giving a glowing review of the first-time foster parents and of Shayla's progress since she'd been with them.

The judge nodded. "Okay, before I make my decision, is there anything you'd like to say for yourself Ms. Green?"

Shayla's mother stood, facing the judge in her prison-issued uniform and handcuffs. "Your honor," she began slowly, "I have made a lot of mistakes in my life, but gettin' pregnant with Shayla was probably the biggest one." She glanced back at the girl, who had become three shades paler at her mother's words, then returned her cold stare to the judge. "My attorney keeps tellin' you why I should get to keep her, but if she's found herself a nice new family, they can have her."

The social worker put her arm around Shayla, wiping the tears that began to fall from her eyes. Danny and Maddie both reached out and squeezed her shoulders, fighting back the anger and contempt they felt for her mother.

The judge, too, struggled to remain civil. "Very well, then. I hereby terminate the parental rights of LaQuanda Green. Shayla will remain in the custody of her foster parents, Daniel Messer and Madeline Parrish, at this time."

The bailiff escorted Shayla's mother from the courtroom, and both lawyers quickly packed their briefcases and left. The social worker helped Shayla to her feet, allowing Maddie and Danny to take her in their arms and offer what comfort they could.

"She doesn't want me," the girl cried, burying her face in Maddie's shoulder. "She doesn't want me…"

Neither adult knew what to say, so they remained quiet, holding her gently until a new fear invaded her thoughts.

Shayla pulled back suddenly, her eyes wide with panic. "You two still want me…don't you?"

"Of course we do," Maddie answered quickly.

Danny nodded, rubbing her back. "We wouldn't know what to do without you," he assured her.

"Really?"

"Absolutely," he confirmed. Glancing at Maddie, he shared a thought with her and continued, "In fact, I wanted to ask you if you would do something special for me at the wedding. Can I ask you now, or should I wait 'til later, when you're feelin' up to it."

Shayla sniffled, her brown eyes trained on Danny. "Now is okay."

Danny sat down on the bench and took her hand, glancing again at Maddie before shifting his gaze back to his foster daughter. "See, the groom normally escorts his family to the front row of the church, and dances with his mother at the reception and all that."

She sniffled again, wondering where he was going. "Yeah…"

"Well, I was kinda hopin' you would do the honors for me…"

Her eyes widened with disbelief. She knew enough about weddings to realize the significance of what Danny was asking her. "You want me…?"

He nodded, noting Maddie's glowing smile as she stood with her arm around Shayla. "Yeah. Will you do it? You _are_ family."

She smiled shyly, looking down at her small teenaged hand clasped in his strong, protective one, knowing what it was like to have the love of a parent. "Okay," she told him softly. "For my family."


	38. Dearly Beloved

A/N: Can you feel it? Our little story is coming to an end soon...only two more chapters after this one. And I have to apologize to Mandi and all you other Mac/Stella shippers...Stella's birthday surprise (which was mentioned briefly a couple of sections ago) is going to remain a mystery because I just can't figure out how to work it in. But I _promise_ I'll make it up to you!

* * *

She stood near the window of the nursery where she and the other girls were getting ready, left alone with her thoughts for a moment, a small smile on her lips. He slipped into the room almost silently, glancing around to see if anyone was there to throw him out as he made his way over to his bride. 

"Hey babe," Danny whispered with a grin as he slid his arms around Maddie and nuzzled her neck.

Her smile grew at his touch, but she chastised him anyway. "Danny, what are you doing here? We're getting married in an hour and a half…you're not supposed to see me…"

He chuckled and turned her around, his hands sliding over the silky material of the slip she wore as he pulled her closer. "I'm not supposed to see you in your _dress_," he winked. "And that's hangin' up somewhere."

She wrapped an arm around his neck and laughed, running her free hand down his partially buttoned tuxedo shirt. "Minor detail," she smirked. "If any of the girls catch you in here, you're dead."

"Where are they, anyway?" he asked, trying to gauge how much time he had with her.

"Shayla and Stella are getting the flowers, Aiden ran back to her hotel room to get my veil, and my sister is making sure everything is ready at the altar."

"Good," he smiled. "Then I have just enough time to do this…" He leaned in and brushed his lips softly against hers.

"Hey! We had an agreement," she reminded him, grinning in spite of herself. "No more kisses until we're married…"

"I can't help it," he replied, leaning in for a second, deeper kiss. "This is the last time I'll get to kiss Maddie Parrish…" His mouth found hers again, and for a moment the bride and groom forgot about everything but the two of them.

When Danny finally pulled back, though, there was a different tone in his voice. "You know," he told her, "you don't have to change your name…"

She rolled her eyes at him with a grin. "We've had this discussion."

"I know, I just want to make sure. Because I wouldn't blame you for not wanting to be associated with my family…"

She reached up and touched his cheek tenderly, trying to find the words that would convince him of her decision. "I'm not associating myself with your family," she began. "I'm associating myself with _you_, which is something I'm proud to do. I'm excited to introduce myself as Maddie Messer and have people know you're my husband."

A pleased expression spread across his face as she spoke her new name. "And you're not worried 'bout the rest of the family?"

She shook her head. "Nope. You are separate from your family, and everyone whose opinion counts knows the difference."

His smile widened and he leaned in close again. "Then let me kiss Maddie Parrish one last time…"

She allowed him to kiss her for a moment, but then gently pushed him away. "Okay, but now you have to go," she insisted. "The girls will be back any minute now."

"Okay," he replied, defying her and planting yet another kiss on her lips. "I'm going."

He slipped quickly out of the room, checking the hallway to make sure he hadn't been caught, and nonchalantly made his way back to the main part of the little church.

"Danny?" a voice called, laden with a familiar accent.

He turned to find his younger brother grinning at him in surprise. "Louie? What are you doin' here?"

"You're gettin' married, remember?" Louie replied with smirk. "I'm here for the wedding. And I wanted to…"

Danny shook his head and held up a hand, cutting him off. "Look, whatever it is you want, whatever it is you need help with, it's gonna have to wait until later. I'm not gonna deal with you right now…"

Louie looked hurt for a moment, stung by his brother's words but knowing he deserved them. "I just wanted to say congratulations," he replied quietly, turning to walk away. "And that I hope you're happy together."

Danny frowned, grabbing Louie's shoulder before he could leave. "Hey…thanks man."

The two brothers embraced, forgetting, at least for the moment, the animosity that often sprung up between them.

"Means a lot to me that you're here," Danny continued as he pulled away.

Louie smiled. "Glad I finally got somethin' right."

* * *

"Okay, here we go," Liz Parrish called, taking on the role of traffic director in addition to being the maid of honor and sister of the bride. "The guests are all seated…time to send in the mothers." 

Shayla giggled and glanced up at Danny. "So I'm your mother today?"

He laughed. "According to your Aunt Liz you are. Just don't ground me and send me to my room. I don't want to miss my own wedding."

She giggled again. "As long as you behave yourself…"

Mrs. Parrish smiled at that, looking up at Don as he offered her his arm. "She's a pretty good kid, isn't she?"

Don nodded. "And she has pretty good parents, too."

"That she does," the older woman agreed, beaming with pride.

"Shall we?"

Mrs. Parrish smiled again and took his arm. "We shall."

"Best part of being the best man," he whispered to her as they walked toward the front of the church. "I get to walk down the aisle with the beautiful mother of the bride."

They reached the front pew and she pulled Don down to her, grinning and planting a kiss on his cheek. "That's for making an old woman feel good," she told him.

He chuckled and blushed a bit, murmuring a "you're welcome" and hoping Aiden wasn't watching, getting the wrong idea.

Outside the big double doors, Danny offered his arm to Shayla for their trip to the front of the church. "Ready?"

"Yep," she smiled happily back. "Ready when you are."

She slid her arm through his and walked with him slowly down the aisle, smiling joyfully as they moved, thrilled to play such a big part of such a big day. He, too, couldn't seem to keep the proud grin from his face as he escorted his foster daughter to her seat.

When they arrived at the front row, he took her hand in his and squeezed it affectionately.

"Thanks, kiddo," he whispered. "I'm glad you're a part of this."

She smiled gently, taking her hand back and hugging him tightly instead. "Me too," she whispered back. When she released him she made him stand still for a moment while she quickly looked him over, straightening his bowtie and planting a kiss on his cheek. "Perfect," she smiled. "Now go get married."

He returned to the back of the church, where Don slapped him on the back. "Look at you, proud papa with his little girl."

"Yeah," was all Danny replied, drawing the word out with a grin.

"Okay, fellas, it's show time," the minister informed them as he joined the little group. "I need the groom and best man to come with me so the rest of the wedding party can get lined up and we can bring out the bride."

The two best friends grinned broadly at each other and dutifully followed the minister around to the side door, where they would enter first. Liz took charge of the rest of the group, making sure everyone was where they were supposed to be.

"Aiden, you and Dantrell are first," she began, handing off a bouquet of flowers to the bridesmaid and a matching boutonniere to the groomsman as they passed by her. "Stella, Sheldon, you guys are next…then me by myself because Don's up there with Danny already…" She stopped and looked around. "But where's the bride?"

"She's here," Mac called, walking beside Maddie down the hallway. "We had a little dress snafu to deal with."

Stella, helping Sheldon with his boutonniere, paused in her pinning and turned to look at Mac, suppressing a surprised laugh. "You helped Maddie fix her dress?"

His cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. "It was just a missed button. I took care of it."

Maddie laughed and patted Mac's shoulder. "He did a great job, too."

Liz fluttered over, pinning a boutonniere on Mac's lapel before fluffing out the train on Maddie's dress and arranging her bouquet of flowers. When she was satisfied, she gently, carefully, hugged her sister. "You ready?"

Maddie smoothed her simple white dress, adjusting one of the straps and grinning. "Let's do this."

A cheer went up from the wedding party and they heard the side door being pushed open as the minister led Danny and Don to the altar. Moving Maddie and Mac off to the side, the big main doors were opened and the music began.

Aiden took Dantrell's arm with a smile, trying not to laugh at the how-did-I-get-so-lucky look on the young man's face. So happy was she for her friends and so excited to be back in New York with Don for a little while, she didn't even mind when he accidentally brushed his hand over her backside as they parted at the altar.

Stella and Sheldon followed, sharing an amused glance when they saw the nervous expression Danny wore.

"You think he'll be okay?" Sheldon asked quietly.

Stella grinned. "Yeah. As soon as Maddie comes out he'll be fine I think."

He patted her hand as they separated at the end of the aisle. "I hope you're right."

Liz took her cue to begin, and as slowly as she could make herself, walked between the rows of people. She smiled at a few relatives and friends, noting with mixed emotions that her father had made the trip for the big day, then shifted her gaze to her soon-to-be brother-in-law, giving him a little encouraging nod as she took her place.

The big doors in the back had been closed behind Liz to allow Maddie and Mac to get into position without being seen, and when the music changed they were opened up again. The guests rose in unison in anticipation of the bride, and Danny swallowed hard, clasping his hands together to try and cease their shaking.

"Ready for this?" Don whispered. The groom nodded mutely, and Don chuckled. "Just wait 'til she gets up here."

At the back of the church, Mac leaned over and asked Maddie the same question. "Ready for this?"

She nodded, a little nervous herself. "As long as I don't trip and fall, I'm good."

Mac grinned. "Don't worry. I gotcha."

They made their way down the aisle with more grace than Maddie imagined she'd have, her uneasiness melting away somehow at the sight of Danny's own discomfort. He came down the altar steps and stood beside her before the minister began the ceremony.

"You look beautiful," he told her quietly.

She grinned. "You look pretty good yourself…I told you you looked hot in a tux."

"Who here gives this woman to be wedded to this man?" the minister asked.

Mac smiled proudly. "I do."

Maddie allowed him to fold her veil back and kiss her cheek before slipping her arms around him and hugging him tightly. "Thank you so much, Mac," she said softly, "for giving me away, for introducing me to Danny, for looking out for the both of us, for being such a good friend…for everything."

He smiled proudly, feeling as though he was holding a little sister. "It was _all_ my pleasure," he answered back, wanting to say more but unable to find the words.

He cleared his throat roughly and offered his hand to Danny, who shook it and pulled him into a warm embrace.

"Congratulations, Danny," Mac chuckled. "It finally happened."

Danny smiled broadly, his anxiety bleeding away as he stood with his bride and closest friends. "Yeah. I finally fell in love."

They patted each other on the back and Mac cleared his throat one more time. "Just keep loving her," he told his protégé quietly.

Danny nodded solemnly. "I will," he promised.

Mac nodded gently, too, as he turned from the couple, taking a seat beside Maddie's mother in the front row with the rest of the family.

Danny took Maddie's hand in his, flashing a nervous but excited smile her way as he guided her up the altar steps.

"_It's the end of the world as we know it…_," she sang softly under her breath, winking at her groom.

He laughed as he recognized the REM song she had taken to singing when planning the wedding became particularly stressful. "_…and I feel fine_," he finished.

"Good," she grinned.

They stopped at the top of the altar and faced the minister.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Daniel and Madeline in holy matrimony…"


	39. From This Day Forward

"Do you, Daniel, take Madeline, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" the minister asked.

Danny grinned and squeezed Maddie's hands as he held them in his. "I do."

"And do you, Madeline," the minister continued, "take Daniel, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Maddie refrained from speaking aloud a smart remark that came to mind and returned Danny's grin. "I do."

The minister turned a page in his book, moving on to a non-traditional part of the ceremony, but one that Maddie had specifically requested. "Maddie, hold Danny's hands in your, palms up, so that you may see the gifts they are to you."

She did as she was asked, her smile softening.

"These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as he promises to love you all the days of his life," the minister read.

Danny's eyes met hers, shining brightly as he mouthed "I love you".

"These are the hands that will work along side yours, as together you build your future, as you laugh and cry, as you share your innermost secrets and dreams."

Mac, sitting in the front pew of the church, nodded imperceptibly. He knew better than anyone else just how much they had shared with each other and what it meant to both of them that they were able to do so.

"These are the hands you will place with expectant joy against your stomach, until he, too, feels his child stir within you. These are the hands that look so large and strong, yet will be so gentle as he holds your baby for the first time."

Don cleared his throat gruffly, remembering how hard it had been for the couple when they had lost their unborn child. He could still see in his mind the image of Danny slumped on his couch, his face buried in his hands as he cried long and hard. He recalled Maddie's pale, drawn face, stricken with grief even as she struggled to take care of her students and Danny, and lowered his gaze to the floor.

"These are the hands that will work long hours for you and your new family."

Shayla smiled as the minister spoke those words, silently thanking God for her foster parents, appreciating beyond measure how hard they worked to keep her safe, happy, and healthy.

"These are that hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness."

Stella grinned, reminded of Mac's account of Maddie and Danny's first meeting in the interrogation room. "Passionate" had been the key word right from the beginning, though the nature of their feelings had developed over the course of the relationship from adversaries to close friends to loving partners in every way. Her eyes flickered in Mac's direction and she allowed herself to wonder if the two of them might follow the same path.

"These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his eyes eyes that are filled completely with his overwhelming love and desire for you."

Maddie's bright blue eyes met Danny's once more as she remembered all the moments she had felt his love for her. She squeezed his hands and smiled softly again, knowing that she had been blessed.

The minister paused a moment, allowing the couple their wordless exchange. The rite was then repeated, with Danny holding Maddie's hands, palms up, in his large strong ones.

"And now," the minister smiled, "by the power vested in me by the great state of New York, it is my distinct pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife." His smile grew and he winked at the groom. "Danny, you may now kiss your bride."

Danny's grin turned to one of relief as he slid his arms around his wife. Finally he was able to hold her close after standing beside her through the ceremony touching only her hands. Finally, he was allowed to kiss her.

His lips met hers warmly, trying to convey his passion for her without losing control in front of all their guests. Maddie could feel the restraint in his kiss and pulled away laughing.

"Just wait 'til the reception," she whispered, her mouth against his ear. "They'll be banging on the glasses so much during dinner we won't even have a chance to come up for air."

He laughed out loud and kissed her again, still smiling broadly when they parted.

"Congratulations," the minister told them happily, shaking their hands. He turned the pair toward the guests, reminding Maddie to get her bouquet back from Liz as she took Danny's arm, and raised his voice so that everyone could hear. "It my honor to present to you for the first time, the new Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Messer…"

The guests broke into applause and cheers, everyone wearing wide smiles as the bride and groom made their way down the aisle together, followed by their wedding party.

Aiden was the first one to get to the happy couple, despite being the last bridesmaid to leave the altar.

"I'm so happy for you!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Danny. "Ya did it, Messer…"

He chuckled. "You didn't think I'd back out, did you?"

"No," Aiden replied with a twinkle in her eyes as she released him. "I knew from the first time I saw you two together that you were perfect for each other…as long as _you_ didn't screw things up."

Maddie laughed at that and patted Danny's cheek. "Nope. He's done remarkably well with me."

He looked down at her, running his thumb over her wedding band as he took her left hand in his. "And she's done incredibly well with me," he told Aiden.

The happy couple were hugged and congratulated by the rest of the wedding party, then headed back into the church to greet their guests row by row for a few moments of one-on-one time with each one.

They began at the front of the church, embracing Maddie's mother and Mac first before moving to the groom's side, where Shayla sat beside Louie.

The girl bounced up first, happily flinging her arms around both her foster parents. "Congratulations!" she cried.

"Thanks kiddo," Danny grinned proudly as he held his family.

Maddie kissed her hair affectionately. "Now don't forget, you need to stick around for pictures, too. I want a nice one of the three of us to put up in the living room at home…"

Shayla's smile reached from ear to ear. "You got it," she replied, hugging them again before heading down the aisle.

Louie made his way out of the pew and offered his hand to Danny. "Congratulations big brother," he said.

Danny wrapped an arm loosely around him and patted his back. "Thanks, Louie."

"So this is my new sister-in-law?"

"Yeah, this is Maddie," Danny explained, letting go of his brother and running a hand down her back.

"It's nice to finally meet you," she told Louie.

He smiled and reached for her, pulling her into a quick embrace. "It's good to meet you, too…sis."

The two new in-laws shared a grin as they separated, and Louie decided there was one more thing he needed to do.

"Can I kiss the bride?" he asked with a smirk.

Maddie opened her mouth to answer, but Danny interrupted her. "On the _cheek_," he replied firmly.

Maddie laughed as Louie leaned in and pecked her cheek sheepishly. "Congratulations," he said again, shuffling past the couple and out of the church.

"I definitely see the resemblance," she told Danny as they moved to the next pew.

He shrugged. "We do kind of look alike…"

"No," she shook her head, "in your personalities. He's teasing me already, and he just met me," she chuckled. "You two are definitely brothers…"

They continued down the rows, exchanging hugs and greetings with each guest, introducing each other to family and friends, noting the number of staff and students from Eastside High and personnel from the Lab that filled the church. There was a contingent present from the Medical Examiner's Office, too, and Maddie's former student, Adrienne, was even there with her son, little Daniel Parrish. The newlyweds shared a brief, sad glance with each other as Maddie held him, taking in his curly brown hair and dimpled smile, remembering that their little boy would have been the same age, had he lived.

They bade Adrienne good-bye and moved on, eventually reaching the very last row, where only two people had been seated. The first was an old ex-girlfriend of Danny's who had come to witness the ceremony for herself, unable to believe the rumor was true. She was quickly dispensed with when Maddie assured her with a smirk that she and Danny were indeed married, and that they were very much in love.

The last guest to be greeted stood, clearing his throat gruffly. He was a middle-aged man in a tired suit and faded tie, looking decidedly uncomfortable but determined nonetheless. "Congratulations," he said quietly, uncertain as to how exactly he should behave in this situation.

Maddie smiled hesitantly. She hadn't known he was coming or noticed his presence during the ceremony, and was unprepared to see him again. "Thanks Dad," she replied.

Danny decided he'd had enough practice with awkward family moments, and offered his hand to his new father-in-law to break the ice. "Detective Danny Messer," he introduced himself.

Maddie's father shook Danny's hand and smiled a little. "A pleasure to meet you, Danny…Robert Parrish. I'm Maddie's father."

Maddie watched the exchange silently, observing the half guilty, half proud expression her father wore as he shook Danny's hand. He had not made her life easy. In fact, he had often times caused her more grief than either of them cared to think about. But when Liz had told him about the loss of the baby, he had sent Maddie a little note of sympathy. He may have screwed up, he had written, and screwed up a lot, but when the chips were down, he was still her father and he loved her.

She found herself reaching for him before she was aware that she was doing it, slipping her arms around his neck and resting her head against his shoulder. "I'm glad you came, Dad," she said softly.

Mr. Parrish slid his arms around his daughter. "You are?" he asked, surprised.

She nodded. "I am."

He smiled gratefully, squeezing his eyes shut as he held her. "Me too."

They broke apart after a few moments, and Danny smiled. Father and daughter both looked more relaxed, and even a bit relieved at getting past the initial greeting.

Mr. Parrish grinned a little. "So a cop, eh…"

* * *

When the guests had all left and the wedding party went off to gather their things for the reception, Maddie and Danny took a moment for themselves in the quiet church.

"You did it," she teased, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close. "You made the leap."

"_We_ did it," he corrected, sliding his hands across her back. "We're partners, remember?"

"That we are," she agreed. She reached up and kissed him, identical smiles spreading across their faces as their lips met.

"_And_," he continued rather proudly as they broke apart, "we each initiated a reconciliation with a family member we haven't been speaking to."

"That we did," she agreed again. "I'm glad I let you talk me into inviting Dad…and I'm glad you invited Louie. Weddings are supposed to be for getting families together, and we did a little of that today."

"We did," he concurred, kissing her again with a smile. When they broke apart, Danny remembered something he had wanted to ask her about earlier, but hadn't had a chance to. "Hey, how come Liz was running around trying to find crackers for you this mornin'? Were you so nervous about marryin' me that you were nauseous?"

Maddie laughed. "Well, that's what I let Liz think, because you should be the first to know."

"Know what?"

"About your wedding present," she continued with a barely concealed grin.

He sighed. "We decided we weren't gonna get each other gifts…"

"I know, but this one just sorta happened," she told him.

"Well what is it? Do you have it with you?"

"In a manner of speaking," she replied cryptically.

"Where?" he wondered, noting her lack of pockets or a purse.

She released him and took his hand in hers, placing it on her lower abdomen. "Here…"

But just as he had been the first time around, Danny was slow to get the message, and Maddie waited for a moment while he put it all together.

"…crackers…nausea…my gift is…here…?" His eyes widened. "You're not…"

She laughed joyfully. "I am. Shayla's gonna have a little brother or sister before she turns eighteen."

He threw his arms around her and drew her to him, laughing out loud, his eyes still wide with surprise. "A baby? A baby!" he exclaimed. "When did you find out?"

"Just last night," she told him. "I almost waited until you could be with me to take the pregnancy test, but the circumstances were a little different this time then they were before."

The mention of Maddie's last pregnancy immediately dampened his enthusiasm. "But what _about_ last time?" he asked quietly. "What if it happens again…what if we lose this baby too…"

Maddie looked up at him, her blue eyes meeting his. "I did some research, and one miscarriage doesn't affect the chances of survival of the next child," she told him. "We can ask Sheldon about it, too—he'll know more or know who to talk to—but this one should be okay."

"So should the last one," Danny pointed out. "What if it isn't?"

She bowed her head and leaned against his chest. "I don't know, Danny. I don't know if I can go through that again, but you and I will have each other to lean on if it does happen. And," she added, nuzzling his neck, "we have a pretty amazing foster daughter, too."

The smile returned to his face. "Are we gonna ask her about that today?"

"The foster part?" Maddie asked. "Yeah," she decided with a satisfied smile. "Let's see if we can catch her before we go to the reception."

He kissed her hair and her cheek, making his way to her lips before drawing back contentedly. "After you, Maddie Messer…love of my life…mother of my children."

They emerged from the church into the bright sun of a beautiful Manhattan afternoon and shared a smile. Their closest friends—their family—stood near the row of squad cars on loan from the police department to transport the wedding party to the reception. Stella stood beside Mac, a teasing expression on her face, his eyes sparkling back at her; Don was leaning against one of the cars, holding Aiden's hands in his as they continued to mend their broken relationship; Sheldon's girlfriend Sarah took the time to spend a few minutes with him before his duties as a groomsman pulled him away again; Shayla waited with Dantrell, the two youngest members of the group automatically gravitating toward each other; and even Liz had found someone to pass the time with, standing with Marty Pino of the Medical Examiner's office as she waited for her sister and newly minted brother-in-law.

"Look at 'em…so many happy couples…" Maddie smiled.

Danny grinned. "Maybe ours was just the first of many weddings…"

"Guess you'd better get used to wearin' that tux," she laughed.

He pulled her to him and kissed her deeply, the restraint he had shown at the altar melting away. "Guess you better get used to takin' it off me…"


	40. It Happened to Them

He stood outside the main hall entrance, waiting to be introduced at his wedding reception with his bride.

_Married_, he thought for the millionth time that day. _I still can't believe we're married…_

He watched her as she took care of a last-minute crisis with the caterer, her long white dress clinging gently to the curves of her body, and thanked his lucky stars—again—that she was his. They had been through so much together, and it was probably inevitable that they end up together, but still he refused to take her presence in his life for granted.

She finished with the caterer and swept gracefully toward him. "Okay, everything's all set," she reported. Then, catching the glint in his eyes as he gazed at her, she blushed. "What?"

He grinned and shook his head. "I was just thinking that I must be the luckiest man in the world to have you."

She mirrored his grin, sliding her arms around his neck and leaning in for a kiss. "Then that makes me the luckiest woman in the world," she told him, brushing her lips against his.

One of the waiters cleared his throat politely and the couple drew apart, eyes shining, smiling happily.

"The DJ is ready to announce you," the waiter informed them.

"Okay," she replied, loosening her grip on her husband. She found her bouquet and took his hand in hers. "Ready?"

He nodded. "Definitely."

In the big main hall, the DJ received the word that the newlyweds were set, and he switched on his microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention please. The happy couple has arrived, and I know they're anxious to get the party started. So without further adieu, it is my pleasure to introduce for the first time in public…Mac and Stella Taylor!"

The guests rose from their seats and applauded enthusiastically as the bride and groom navigated their way to the head table and took their places. Almost immediately someone began clinking a fork against a glass, setting off a chorus of tinkling silverware.

Mac sighed. "Already?"

"You don't want to kiss me?" Stella asked, trying to feign hurt but unable to smother her wide smiled.

"Of course I do," he replied quickly. "I'm just not good at public displays of affection."

She laughed. "I know you're not. But don't think of it as a public display. Just think of it as kissing your wife."

He smiled softly at her words, brushing a hand gently over her cheek as he leaned in close. "I think I can do that."

_

* * *

The song a robin sings  
Through years of endless springs  
The murmur of a brook at eventide  
That ripples by a nook where two lovers hide  
A great symphonic theme  
That's Stella by starlight  
And not a dream  
My heart and I agree  
She's everything on earth to me_

"Aren't they adorable together?" Aiden sighed, sitting beside Maddie at the head table as they watched the newlyweds dance their first dance.

Maddie smiled. "They are," she agreed. "See the way he looks at her?"

"It's the same way Danny looks at you," Aiden reminded her. "Even now, after five years of marriage and three kids."

"Yeah," Maddie replied, drawing the word out with a satisfied sparkle in her eyes. "But it's getting close to becoming four kids, I think," she giggled.

"Shayla and Dantrell?"

Maddie nodded. "Dantrell's doing so well working at the lab, and Shayla's just about finished with college. They may still wait a bit, but I think he might propose when she graduates."

"Are we old enough to have a daughter gettin' married?" Danny laughed, pulling a chair up beside his wife at the bridesmaids' end of the table.

"They aren't getting married yet," Maddie corrected. "Don't rush them. We certainly took our time."

He nodded. "We did. Although I can't say the same for Don and Aid…" he winked.

Aiden ran her hand unconsciously over her rounded abdomen, her wedding band glinting in the light. "Hey, we had lost time to make up for. And I didn't see you complainin' at our wedding when Maddie was pawin' at you in your tux."

Maddie laughed at that. "I know! If we have any more weddings to go to, I'm gonna end up pregnant again…"

"Sheldon and Sarah's is in three months," Danny reminded her slyly, brushing his lips over her neck.

"Daddy!" called a small voice, accompanied by a cloud of lavender fabric.

Danny turned to find his second child, four-year-old Carrie—named for his mother, Caroline—running toward him. "Hey sweetie!"

The little girl launched herself into his arms, smiling at him proudly as he picked her up and settled her on his lap. "Uncle Sheldon promised to dance with me," she explained to him.

"Right after I dance with Aunt Sarah," Sheldon added, finally catching up to his energetic charge. He dropped into a chair, joining the little group and taking a moment to catch his breath.

"You okay, Sheldon?" Aiden asked.

He smiled tiredly. "I'll live."

Sarah followed behind him, carrying the Messers' youngest child, two-year-old Nicky—named Nicholas, in a compromise, after no one. "Come on, Sheldon," she teased, handing the boy off to his mother. "You gonna let a couple of little kids wear you out?"

Don, returning from the bar with a soda for his pregnant wife, laughed at Sarah's comment. "I'm always exhausted after we babysit those two. They definitely are, uh, 'high-spirited'."

"You just wait 'til yours is born," Danny told him, kissing Carrie's hair. "You'll be sleep deprived and ornery, your sex life might be nonexistent, and you'll never spend a night out without worryin' about what's happenin' at home. But at the end of the day," he smiled, sliding an arm around Maddie again and squeezing her shoulders, "you'll put your children to bed and watch them sleep while you hold your wife, and nothin' else will matter."

_A great symphonic theme  
That's Stella by starlight  
And not a dream  
My heart and I agree  
She's everything on earth to me_

The little group shared a collective smile, soaking up Danny's loving words as they watched Mac and Stella continue to dance, his cheek resting gently against hers.

Then Don piped up. "Geez Messer, you've gotten soft."

Danny laughed at his friend. "Shut up, Flack."

* * *

Mac sat at a table off to the side of the dance floor, alone for a rare moment that night, watching the guests mingle and dance, having a good time in celebration of his marriage.

Don sat with Aiden on the other side of the hall, her shoes tucked underneath her chair, her feet resting in his lap as he massaged her aching soles. He smiled as he rubbed her feet, pausing every so often to run a hand over her pregnant belly, soothing the baby as he soothed his wife. She grinned at him and winked, no doubt making some smart remark, expression her love as only Aiden could. They had been through a very rough patch when she left New York, and though she never returned to work at the Crime Lab, she had come back to the city—back to Don—where in her heart knew she belonged.

Mac smiled as he watched them. He remembered how hard it had been for Aiden to leave, and how hard it had been for her to stay away once she'd gone. But despite all the hurt and anger they had caused each other, he had been secretly cheering for the two of them to work things out. It was difficult in their line of work to have a successful relationship, even when it was meant to be, as he well knew. And deep down, he had decided that if they could make it work, so could he and Stella.

Mac's eyes wandered over to the dance floor, where Danny was dancing with Shayla. The groom's smile changed, taking on a proud quality as he watched his protégé lead his adopted daughter around the floor. He chuckled to himself when Danny spun her around and pulled her back to him, her smile lighting up her face. Shayla had grown up so much in the last five years, now nearing the end of her senior year at NYU and volunteering as a Big Sister. Her maturation was due in large part to the growing up Danny had done himself, taking responsibility for his actions in the past, taking care of his family, and becoming a good husband and father in the process.

Dancing beside Danny and Shayla was Dantrell, holding little Carrie tightly in his arms. The young man was another one to be proud of, having graduated from City College with honors with a double major in biology and chemistry. The day after the ceremony, he appeared in Mac's office, résumé and diploma in hand, and reminded the CSI of the comment he had made so long ago at the Eastside High School science fair. _I might have a place for you in my lab some day…_

Mac grinned at the memory, and at Dantrell's tenacity. He had learned well from his grandmother, from his teacher, and from his mentors at the Crime Lab, and refused to take no for an answer. Mac had hired him along with two other new graduates, and sent them through rigorous training. Dantrell had been the only one left standing at the end, earning a full-time position in the lab. In choosing a partner for him, Mac had initially been reluctant to pair the young man with Danny, thinking that the personal tie they had might interfere with their professional relationship. But Dantrell had taken to hanging around the lab while he was off duty, going over cases with Danny, picking his brain, and lending a hand whenever he could. Mac could see how much the boy looked up to the detective and how proud Danny was of Dantrell, and allowed them to work a case together. They fed off each other so well, that now, more often than not, when a case came in for Danny, Dantrell was the first one to grab his coat.

He swung Carrie around, making her laugh and call out to her little brother, who was sitting with Sheldon and Sarah watching his sister dance with Dantrell. Nicky sat on Sheldon's lap, his bright blue eyes shining with excitement as he clapped his little hands. After a moment, his attention waned and he was drawn to Sarah's engagement ring, one that Sheldon has spent long hours searching for with the help of Maddie and Stella. The little boy's eye was attracted to the sparkling diamond and he reached for it, grabbing hold with a toothy grin. Sheldon laughed, sharing a look with Sarah over Nicky's head.

Mac sighed contentedly. Love was all around him, in the air, in the music, in the eyes and hearts of his friends.

"That was a pretty big sigh," a cheerful voice told him.

His gaze shifted from Sheldon and Sarah to the woman standing beside him. "Maddie," he smiled. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know you're pretty pleased with life right about now," she smiled back. She settled into a chair next to his and patted his shoulder. "Reminiscing?"

He glanced down at his left hand, twisting the newly acquired wedding band. "A little."

"Thinking about Claire?" she asked quietly.

He nodded. "A little," he repeated. "I can't help but think about the first time I got married."

"You miss her still, don't you?"

He nodded again. "Yeah, but it's different now. I'm not grieving anymore, and I know—I _know_—she'd be happy for me today."

"Because it happened again, Mac," Maddie grinned. "You found love a second time."

His eyes moved back out toward the dance floor, where Stella was preparing to throw her bouquet to all the single women at the reception. He watched her curls bounce and her eyes flash as she took her place in front of the crowd of women, winking mischievously before she turned around, and the soft smile on his lips grew into a joyful grin.

"I did find love," he agreed, his eyes twinkling. "And so did you. It happened to both of us."

The bouquet flew from Stella's hands, and she turned quickly to see who caught it. When Shayla came up with the flowery bundle the bride laughed. "Uh-oh, Danny…looks like you're gonna be wearing that tux again soon…" she teased.

Maddie chuckled, watching Shayla stroll over to Dantrell with her prize and escort him out to the dance floor, where Frank Sinatra's voice poured from the speakers.

_Hide your heart from sight, lock your dreams at night_  
_It could happen to you_  
_Don't count stars or you might stumble_  
_Someone drops a sigh and down you tumble_

"It looks like it might have happened to someone else, too," Maddie smiled. Then, turning back to Mac, she teased, "now why are you still sitting her with me? Go dance with your wife!"

He laughed, rising from his chair. "You go dance with your husband!"

She grinned impishly. "I believe I will."

_Keep an eye on spring, run when church bells ring_  
_It could happen to you_  
_All I did was wonder how your arms would be_

Mac took Stella's hand and led her out to the dance floor, wrapping his arms around her as they took their place among the other dancing couples. Danny and Maddie followed, winking at their friends and waiving at their kids, pulling each other close, sharing a contented kiss.

_And it happened to me_

* * *

A/N: The song lyrics are from (in the middle section) _Stella by Starlight_ and (at the end) _It Could Happen to You_, both by Frank Sinatra.

A/N 2: Well, what do you think? It's been a great run, and I have thoroughly enjoyed myself through the whole thing. I really hate to see it end! But, since I've been writing Maddie and Danny for so long together, and because I left some issues in their story unresolved, I have a sneeking suspicion that they'll turn up in a oneshot or two here and there—I can't just quit cold turkey ;). I also have another writing project in the works for all you Mac/Stella fans, so be on the lookout for that, too.

And, because I want to make sure I don't forget this part, THANK YOU! Thanks so much to all of you that read and left reviews for me, and to those of you who read and didn't review, too. You spoiled me rotten with all the wonderful things you said, and I couldn't have asked for better reviewers. I hoped you were entertained, that you smiled, that you giggled, that you cried, that you became angry, that you got butterflies in your stomach, that you felt warm and fuzzy…that you _felt_. Because, after all, that's the point, isn't it?

Cory, aka Zelda49


End file.
